What It Takes
by gallagherscoven
Summary: This is The Story of Juno Melee, a spiraling Teen who finds herself rescued and Simultaneously Adopted into The Toretto Household. They already live in The Fast Lane, But what will happen when Vince finds himself falling for The Team's YOUNGEST Addition
1. TOXIC

**TOXIC**

My name is Juno Melee. Don't ask me why I have two first names, or how old I am, or why I'm walking down Thirty-eighth and Crenshaw this late, smack down in the pit of South Central Los Angeles, the unofficial homicide capital . . . No, don't ask me anything, because all that really matters is that on this night The Series of Unfortunate Events known as _my life_ finally comes to an end. . .

I'm staring down the barrel of the hooded figure's gun; _don't ask me what kind of gun it is. _Some how I always pictured myself dying in a similar fashion to this, except, in my picture_ I'm_ holding the gun to _my head_ . . . "_Do you want to die tonight kid_?" the assaulter's voice is low; his words are very confident. I blinked once, not to see if this is just a _nightmare _or to recall something _unlikely memorable_ about my seemingly _worthless_ life, but only with the hope that the liquid fire would not render me unconscious on the roof of this building before his blast of light did. "_Mute tonight, huh?_" I only smile weakly before I feel the thud just after loosing my balance and my head hits the concrete; I can see stars tonight, a rarity in The Grand _Golden State_.

Then there's a new sound, a slamming of something- maybe a door. And there is the blast I've been waiting for. The sound is freeing but I can still feel it; _the weight of the world_ . . . I managed to raise my head just enough so that I was able to scan the immediate area. And, just a mere some feet, there was a new stranger that hovered over my now crippled assailant whose body was rigid, twitching, now on the same chilled concrete. The new man straightened out, and turned . . . I could see him standing over me. His eyes are this oceanic blue and his hair is a short brown crop, a little more shaved down than my own rustled jet black dew. He kneeled down, just beside me . . . "I'm Vince", he spoke, his words weary; his voice was a low gruff . . . "I'm here to help." And just like that, I felt the contrast of warmth counteracting cool as I was lifted from the ground.

. . .

"_So, is this a new addition Vince?_" The sound of a female's voice came into hearing. My head throbbed in protest following, and I just managed to squint my eyes open when I was greeted by the repelling bright grayed white of the day that shined all around the unfamiliar room. I shook my head irritably and in one twisting motion, I was kneeled on the floor holding on with one hand to the edge of the grand bed and the sound of steps behind me became audible. I moaned - a sound no other pair of ears around could have caught - before forcing myself up, unsteadily to my feet. And . . . there he was again – my undesired savior – flanked now by a new set of _new_ strangers. . .

"Juno . . . how are you feeling?" I never bothered to wonder how he Knew my name, this factor didn't matter much to me, only bringing a hand up to sooth my pounding head. "Fine", I managed . . . "Where are my shoes?" I immediately followed up. A low laugh came from the known public figure behind him – _Dominic Toretto_. "What about you're jacket?" Dominic cut Vince off just as he went to speak, "_You're bottle_ . . . _totaled car?_" He grinned, quirking an eyebrow. "You've lived across the street from us for the last two years, the least you could do is say, _hey, good morning neighbors, thanks for saving my life_." I swallowed down the bitter taste of 151 before responding, "_Hey . . . _good morning neighbors . . . _you should've just let me die. . . _goodbye", I finished. Then, as I went to make my way towards the nearest available exit, my path was blocked.

I wanted to tell him to get out of my way . . . wanted to make a run for it . . . wanted so badly not to be there right then – _let alone living_ . . . He sighed, "Your clothes are over there", he only responded, gesturing at the black duffle bag that _had _been in the backseat of my battered blue, and now, apparently _totaled _Mustang, on the top of a white dresser, "go clean yourself up . . . _your place is flooded with the federal bureau trying to find the evidence that we washed away so maybe you wouldn't wake up at the drunk tank waiting to be transferred to a maximum security juvenile detention center_."

My heart was running at double its routine pace by the finish of his words . . . I nodded. A petite female behind him, with long brown hair that extended down to nearly her waist flashed me a second to second smile. "Towels are under the counter", she said pointing a finger in the direction of a door opposite, behind us, and I noticed that her complexion seemed to glow against the rays of the California sun; she was maybe a few years older than me. This was Mia; Dominic Toretto's baby sister – _a mural of innocence_. I managed another stiff nod before turning away.

. . .

The sound of chairs dragging against the floor was distinguishable from a distance as I made my way down the stairs. At The bottom foot Dominic suddenly appeared to obstruct the path again. He took my hand in his, not paying any mind to my opposing jerk, as he analyzed my red, beaten knuckles. "Punching . . . _concrete?_" I rolled my eyes, gritting my teeth together. "Don't roll your fucking eyes at me", he instantly responded. "I'll beat that attitude right off you in a heartbeat kiddy, and if you think it's just a threat fucking test me." I swallowed, as his cold stare poured into my melting gaze.

"Dom that's enough already", a new female voice came and from around the corner appeared another crucial member of the Toretto household; _Letty Ortiz_; Dominic's girlfriend whose own appearance I was sure could intimidate even the most conceded of women. She came to my aid moving around Dominic to the second step where she took me by the arm and pulled me along after her. "You were fucking young once too you know", she grumbled back at him. "Young and very _stupid_", he countered in return. "Don't worry about him, he's a jerk off sometimes", Letty casually said under a breath.

There kitchen was a clutter of pans, prepped food, finished dishes, emptied corona bottles, and Traces of marijuana scattered throughout the room. In that moment the thought finally came; _when was the last time I'd eaten?_ It had to be at least a few days back, _before I began my alcoholic binge_. I was left seated at a round wooden table –face to face with _him_.

"So", Vince began, "Feeling any better?" . . . "I'm fine . . . just . . . _sober_ I guess." He chuckled, folding his arms in front of him on the table. "Yeah, we haven't seen you sober in weeks." I choked on air Then at the sole thought of these _weeks_ . . . "Weeks?" He rolled his eyes, "Since October. You remember October don't you?" I shrugged, trying to seem unfazed. "Not much of it." "Sorry about you're car", he said after a pause. I laughed humorlessly . . . "_More like sorry I'm still alive_." He shook his head as Dominic moved around him to sit in the seat aside from us. "So we foil your suicide plans", he intruded now, "and the pistol punk was . . ." I hesitated at first, _trying myself to recall_ the foggy night. . . "I don't know", I finally answered, my words even more so feeble and seemingly lifeless . . . "I had to have met him after I got out of my car on Crenshaw . . . when It was too beat up already", I added the last words, feeling the shame as it crept up on me.

Dominic folded his arms over his chest, leaning back in his seat as Letty and Mia came to join this rank parade. "And you are like what, _twelve_?" It took all the patience, and some basic physics, that allowed the image of a possible outcome that might follow my back talk to keep just enough control . . . "I'm fifteen", I answered, humble and defeated. He burst into laughter Then . . . "What the hell are you doing drinking, and - since you were drinking - _what gives you the audacity to think that you could ever handle 151_?"

I looked away from him, focusing on some cracks that stuck out on the table. From the corner of my eye I could see Mia glare at him . . . "Can we stop this now please . . . she doesn't need any help feeling miserable", she murmured the last part. Dom sighed, laughing lowly one last time. "Just eat something … will you?" I nodded never acknowledging him. Vince stood up Then . . . "I'm gonna go do a quick scope out, be back in a few." And – as Mia piled over easy eggs and steak onto my plate – very discreetly – I found myself looking after him as he made his exit out the back door.

. . .

Letty was kneeled so we were at eye level as I sat with my hand in hers at the edge of the black leather couch. She stitched another opening in my knuckles shut and I winced at the feeling . . . "I'm almost done", she assured then. Dominic sat directly beside me, _obliviously watching a packer's game_. Although, I would swear he was keeping close quarters just to keep tabs on me. I heard a final snap and in the next my hand was being bandaged. After a final firm tug, Letty looked up at me. "Don't let this jerk off get to you, he's just bored", she said with a faint smile before getting to her feet and walking off.

I had to will the words . . . "_You know if you wanted to keep tabs on me you could just stick me with a GPS._" He sighed, running a hand over his head . . . "Remember what I told you earlier . . ." I folded my arms leaning against the arm of the couch . . . "Maybe you'll beat me to death, and then we'll both get to have our way." In the same I felt my back as it thudded against the floor, and the next thing I knew I was being pulled up only to feel the impact of the _coldest_, _hardest_ slap across my face. "_When I tell you something – don't you ever think_" – "_DOM STOP IT!_" I heard a plea from Mia before I was back on the floor with both my hands over my face. "_SHUT UP, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDS!_" he nearly roared back.

I wedged myself back maybe an inch so the couch supported my back before I felt a set of arms around me. Judging from the scent of sweet fruits alone, I knew that it was Letty. "_What The fuck is wrong with you?_" she shouted back at my offender. There was a slam before an actual human response came . . . "Take your hands off of her", he ordered in a menacing stern. "_Dom_" – "I said", he cut her off, "and I will say it only one more time . . . _Take – your hands- off of her._" As I felt myself freed of the secure hold, I did my best to suppress a sob as I heard the steps, one after another, stopping just as they met with me . . . "Take your hands off your face right now", the order came, chilled and with no hint of any mercy. I shook my head feebly, as a sob finally broke out . . . "Take your hands off your face _or I will do it for you_", he said with vehement warning.

I sobbed as I forced my hands to fall away and the sight of his heavy stare welcomed me back . . . He gripped my arm, locking me in his hold, and pulling me back up . . . "Well . . . looks like you're _not dead_ and I just had _my way_."

. . .

_SMACK! _ Another strained cry left me as I felt another sting on my bare back. He shoved me face down against the hood of a midnight black Dodge Charger. He came around to meet my limp self, and used a hand to force my face to meet his. "Are you done?" he asked confident, but his words seemed cautious in a strange way. I nodded numbly and in the same he let go of my face and planted my t-shirt down beside me, moving away. In that precise moment the kitchen door came open and Vince appeared looking furious as he made his way over To my side bringing me into his arms and I buried my face unconsciously into his chest.

"Who the hell do you think you are Dom?" Snickered words came first . . . "_I know_ I'm teaching this kid to have some fucking _God Damn_ respect before she gets herself in over her _little clouded_ head." I coughed as another more muffled sob came. "YOU COULD'VE HURT HER!" Vince responded, with fury that could make Dom's fire seem like merely the finishing touch of an acid bath.

Dom scoffed . . . "She's fine, so I whooped her - she knows she fucking deserved it so how about you two both go cool off." The sound of Dominic Toretto at last reseeding is the exact equivalent to God answering a lifelong prayer first hand. As soon as the door shut behind us Vince pulled me back away from him to cup my face in his hands. "Are you okay?" he asked, his Tone mildly anxious. I didn't think before nodding again. He reached for my shirt on the hood of the charger and helped me get it on over my braw. I winced as I felt the cotton brush against my backside That felt like it was burning away.

"You need to behave Juno", he murmured. "You're lucky Dom went easy on you", he paused to look over his shoulder. "He really does mean well, you just have to get to understand him." I breathed a slow breath . . . "I hate him", I mumbled. A weak smile formed across his expression then as he nodded . . . "Yeah, I do too . . . right now anyways", he added before bringing a hand up to caress my cheek . . . "Juno", he whispered, "What am I gonna do with you?" He brought me back into his embrace. I remained … _still motionless_, and much too numb to let any form of feeling sink in besides the fire's merciless sting.

. . .

"Feds ruled it a suicide", I could hear Dom commenting with Vince. Letty, Mia, and I were on The L shaped couch. My head was laid on Mia's lap and I was dozing in and out as she rubbed a hand soothingly over my back. Vince grunted . . . "With the fixing up we did they never had a choice . . . anyhow, it's just good they're gone. We don't need any more attention." "Got that right", Dom responded and as I heard him and Vince enter the room, I shut my eyes before they made it into sight; Mia and Letty hadn't even noticed I was ever lucid after the first few passing minutes . . .

I felt a sink on one end and my legs as they were lifted and placed on top of someone's lap . . . "How long has she been out?" Dom's voice came, and I felt sicker than I had all throughout the hangover this morning. "A little while", Mia answered, her words simple and dry. "Oh come on Mia . . . Letty" – "Don't even Dom, not this time", Letty immediately interrupted him. He sighed. "Look, if we don't keep this kid in line she'll be headed straight for San Quentin, _don't you people get that?_ If _This_ is at age fifteen, _with her one and only guardian already dead and gone,_ then what the fuck do any of you think is coming?" I felt Mia adjust herself . . . "There was still no need for any of that to happen today Dominic." He scoffed, and I felt my legs vibrate, "_Oh, you're right_, I'm sorry, next time I'll hold it off a _couple more years_. Meet her, _oh say_ _at Quentin state, in solitary confinement_."

I could hear giggling. "Dom stop it", Letty said In broken words. In the same I felt a set of arms underneath me. "Upstairs she goes so we can get to work", Dom said lowly. As I felt myself being lifted, I also felt another set of arms brush against me . . . "I'll take her", came The heavenly sound of my savior –saving me – _again_. There was a still moment before I was handed over. "Just try not to hang back drooling", Dom said, in an indifferent kind of mocking manner.

Up the stairs and a few unnecessarily dragged, unsteady steps later, warm covers were smothering me. The mattress sunk beside me . . . "Good night Juno", he whispered . . . "I'll see you." As I felt the heavy wait lift away I opened my eyes just in time to realize I was in fact in another unfamiliar room, and catch the door nearly about to close entirely shut before I sat up. "_No_", I said just, loud enough so I could be sure he heard me and in the same the door was wide and open again letting streams of golden light cast along the wood floor. "What's wrong?" he asked from the doorway. When I didn't answer – _trying to some how come up with a different answer_ – he made his way back over to me . . . "J" - he stopped himself - "Juno, what's wrong?"

I glanced once in The direction of the doorway, hoping this gesture – this once- would due. He sighed with this certain sound of relief. . . "Ok . . . I'll leave it halfway." I laid back down, relaxing in the mess of thick cotton watching as he made it to the doorway, leaving it a few cracks open behind him. He peered in . . . "Good night."

As soon as he disappeared, I turned onto my side, hugging on to a second pillow . . . I wondered why I'd been counting all eight steps it took him to make it out into the narrow hallway, and . . . _why I felt this anxiety now_. . .

. . .

**Well , I realized while browsing through the Fast and Furious section that there are not many stories written that have a dead focus on Vince (who happens to be okay by me *_*) so I decided to wing it after having a peculiar sort of dream sequence with him, the rest of the team, and this new unidentified character . . . I always appreciate any and all reviews. I never thought I'd ever be writing a fan fiction on F&F so please bare with me and – WITH ALL OF YOUR HONESTY- let me know what you all think *_***


	2. DOSED

**DOSED**

The next time I opened my eyes there was only crimson.

. . .

I'm in an elevator – _with him _. . . He keeps looking at me and I'm wishing he would stop so that we can avoid this – _just this once_. But then it happens – _of course it was going to happen_. He moves forward and I can smell the pungent sent of cologne combined with tobacco . . . a stream of red is spreading. I can see my hands - _nearly coated in the fluid_. The smell is nauseating and I'm beginning to feel The walls closing in on me before there comes a stop and thud . . . The door comes open and in another flash of blue and red I'm off, making my run for it down The never ending hallway.

. . .

I woke gasping for The breath I had been struggling to obtain while I was crushed against the ground . . . Cold – it was significantly colder now in the lavish bed. The stream of gold still half lit the room and I found myself hobbling out of bed, flinching as I felt the cold wood against the plants of my feet . . . I thought about making it down the stairs to find somebody – _anybody_. But instead, at the sound of scratching and scurrying all around me, I made a mad dash back into bed.

I was entirely buried underneath the covers. Nightmares in the end were only a product of the mind. _Rats_ on the other hand were _very real,_ with _real pointed teeth,_ and _real diseases_, rabies just among the few. Was This God's punishment to me in exchange for the commandment broken? _Would I be eaten alive by a pack of flesh starved rats?_ The idea itself sounded like a bit of a stretch. But once you've gone as far, nothing ever seems _too crazy or highly unlikely. _

The sound of someone coming down the hallway gave me the nerve to uncover my head. I waited on edge, not so much as breathing until Dom appeared by the door way and I ran, clinging my arms around his waist just as I reached him. "_Yeah_ . . . that's great", he remarked at first, under a breath. "Juno", he began, my name sounding like an off key song, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" When I was the _mute _again he pulled my arms away and kneeled, only so that I was given the opportunity to latch my arms around his neck.

"What's the pleasure Juno, what's the pleasure?" I moved my head closer to his ear . . . "_I had a nightmare_", I simply let the words come, cursing myself in the same. He sighed, a low, worn down sigh. "Of course you did with my luck." He took me by the hand and forced a reluctant me along with him all the way over to the edge of the bed where he lifted me up onto the mattress, moving the covers aside and seating himself next to me. . . "What did you dream about?" he asked, and my heart sunk somewhere . . . How much did I long to tell this _dream_, but I knew I never could . . .

"I was stuck in an elevator . . . in this strange place. The walls were closing in on me and I couldn't get out", I told the edited version. He poured his stare into mine . . . "My father use to tell me that in a dream no matter what happens you'll always wake up . . . and then it will be over." I wrapped the covers tighter around me . . . "What if it doesn't work that way?" "_It does_", he said with assurance, "It always does." I swallowed. "My grandma said different." He sighed again . . . "Juno your grandmother wasn't right in the head . . . you know that."

He ran a hand over the cheek he had slapped earlier on. "When ever you have a nightmare you'll always wake up . . . and if you don't, I'll wake you up." I sighed wearily . . . "How will you be able to tell when I'm having one?" He quirked an eyebrow . . . "I'll wake you up sometimes just for the hell of it." In that moment I laughed. He smiled a faint, tired smile. . . "Go to sleep Juno . . . I'll stay with you." . . . He put a hand over my eyes, blinding me, and I let my heavy lids fall back shut.

. . .

The morning light forced me awake. I dragged myself out of bed after several minutes and made my way down the hall for the bathroom, a change of clothes dangling from one of my hands; someone must have transferred my bag over. When I opened the door however, instead of finding your basic restroom, I found Dom - _entirely nude_- with Letty –also stripped of all materials - straddled around his waist as he pumped in and out of her relentlessly. "_Holy shit_", Letty gasped when she noticed me. Dom turned his head and in the same he shoved Letty away throwing a towel over her and wrapping another one around his waist. "_Jesus Christ Dom!_" Vince reprimanded shooting him a displeased glare as he slammed the door shut.

"Sorry J!" I heard Letty call after me by what was set to be my newly acquired nickname apparently. I looked up to see Vince rolling his eyes before leading me away, back to the room where I had first awoken in the Toretto home. "Sorry about that", he apologized in half grumbled words, despite the fact that the incident itself had no direct relation to him what so ever. But I didn't think much on it, only looking forward to a shower and a change of outfit.

When I came back out however, _there he still was_. Stuck still in his own thoughts I presumed given how long it took him to turn away from the window . . . "I'm sorry", he apologized again, "I … lost track a bit." I nodded, "Tends to happen to me allot. . . You know I don't know if you've caught on to this yet, but everything isn't your fault", I simultaneously added at random. Really, I was more amused in this moment than anything else. "I'm"- he began before he stopped himself – "I'm not sorry. I just . . . wondered if you wanna go out sometime . . . some place."

Life is about leaving the past in the past, the future to the future, living only for hear and now like there's nothing more to it. Up to this point unfortunately, I'd only made it through my short life by the means of a robotic state of mind; _2+2=4 _and that's just the way it is_. _But now, a new theory had in this moment come to light, and I had to wonder . . . Could it be true that_ – given the circumstances- _two negatives could subsequently equal a voluntary positive_?_

I nodded, _very nonchalantly_ . . . "I actually wouldn't mind going out sometime . . . _to some place_ . . . _with you_." He cleared his throat. "Sounds good then . . . _right_?" A smile broke free Then despite my best effort to suppress it so as not to seem like some puppy dogged out school girl, "Sounds good", I agreed. The door flew open then and Mia looked very irritated. "Are you coming with me to pick up the new stock or what?" She pressed, before looking over at me, "Morning J, how did you sleep?" The question intended for me was a great deal friendlier, which was really amusing when you analyzed the switch of character.

"I slept fine", I answered. "Hey . . . what parts?" I followed up. "Just the ones that have been sitting at Harry's _since yesterday_", she stressed the last words while narrowing her eyes at Vince before she reverted to me again. "You can come too. _Maybe it will make him move his fucking ass._" I nodded, somewhat thrown off. "Sure . . . why not."

. . .

We were parked at The back of an auto part's store. The ride here had not been so much a ride as a rollercoaster. Vince drove in animalistic fashion while Mia couldn't have been more at ease flipping through a stack of paperwork on her lap. I had been sitting on edge in the backseat of the silver Ford Ranger the whole ride waiting to collide with intercrossing vehicles at every intersection. Mia rolled her eyes, "This guy's a total jerk off J, just wait here", she said in a low monotone before pushing open the door. Vince was already outside, having what appeared to be an extended, very detailed conversation with an average sized pale man, whose hair was a slicked Hershey. His demeanor was cautious, and it was evident that even in his own domain he was uncomfortable.

As Mia joined the two, the aura of tension seemed to almost easily lift away, and a curt smile broke across a precautious Harry's expression. In the same the three went on through the back doors, and were out of sight before I could witness much else.

The floor of the truck was like the mobile home of a hoarder, crammed with piles of papers, odd shaped pieces of silver and gold, and – just where no normal person's focus would fall – wedged in between the center console and the passenger's seat – was a powdery white, compressed in a miniature clear plastic square . . .

Courtesy of photo flash memory, I vaguely remembered slipping the same bag into the pit of my left shoe back on the night I _should've _died amidst my drunken craze . . . I glanced up once as a precautionary measure before snatching the slip of coke out of its hiding place and slipping it deep into the back pocket of my skinny jeans. Drugs are bad, yes, I know this. Unfortunately, logic never comes into play for me when I'm face to face with my poisons. _It all started with two bumps_ . . . momentarily followed by a second set . . and another . . . and here I am – _blocks away from wherever that damned shop was, on the spiraling road to nowhere_. . .

I was running so fast, I would swear at one point my feet were never actually making contact with the concrete. Gravity didn't seem to exist here, only the strong and steady palpitations of my over exhilarated heart; _so I knew just where to go_.

. . .

Just mere blocks away from what used to be home, there's Marco Vander . . . our memories together consist of one too many cocaine binges, countless emergency rooms, and lets not forget the infamous drunken nights. I met Marco one day outside of the casino, where my grandmother would spend days gambling away the little life we had while I sat stumped in the parking lot, blasting songs on the car radio. And so Thus began our false friendship, where he introduced me to his false world, where I traveled to many false but all the same well suiting places . . . Before I could knock, the door swung open, and I was greeted by him, dressed in what was likely yesterday's t-shirt and jeans, with his hair a dark curly mess, beer in hand. "_Jesus Christ, look who came back from the dead_."

I sat on the edge of his battered teal green sofa, my feet hiked up on the old coffee table, as I watched him pour me another fine glass of Jack. He slid the cup my way and I managed to stop it just before it reached my end of the table, taking in a couple of swigs, then setting the glass back on the coaster beside me . . . "So where the hell have you been kid, its been ages", Marco asked, most likely only concerned for the sake of his own persistent curiosity. I laughed the sound dead and humorless. "_More like weeks . . . apparently_", I only responded. He chuckled. "Rumor is Dominic Toretto and his flock picked you up the other night and took you in."

In that moment I felt my insides tremble as a shadow of reality struck through my perfect daydream. And . . . a second shadow followed, one far more sickening even than the sight of these . . . _strangers'_ disappointed faces . . . I cleared my throat slightly before meeting the gleam of his skeptical eyes . "Got a little too fucked the other night. Don't really know what the fuck happened before I woke up there and just . . . left." He snickered something under his breath as his expression lit with entertainment before he casually brought a line of white up and inhaled.

"Well, your not living there now or some shit are you?" he questioned now, _more eager_. I did my best to force a scoff. "No . . . _fuck no_, _what in the fuck are you on Marc?_" He slid a copy of the world encyclopedia – _letter B_-my way where there were three perfectly aligned trails of white. The jack was finally hitting hard and slowly but surely the room was altering into some sort of diagonal planet. I forced yet another miscounted line up one of my nostrils before there came the banging . . .

"_Who the fuck wants what now?_" Marco exclaimed irritably as he hopped to his feet in one rigid move. I wiped my nose, shoving the _encyclopedia of cocaine _under the coffee table. As the light of day brought reminders of the world that in fact still was outside, the voice I heard following was earth shattering. "_Dominic Toretto_", Marco announced in mock tone. "Well, this is certainly the first of an eternity." . . . "Where's The girl?" In that instant I felt my entire body quiver as it sunk deeper into the rough velvet of the sofa. Marco sighed, before pushing the door all the way open and then looking back at me . . . "_Care to explain?_" I swallowed and nearly gagged at the sensation it produced as Dom appeared.

"Nobody owes you any explanation", he answered crudely, moving around the coffee table to stand over me . . . "Let's go." And I remember the sound of Marco's obnoxious chortle as I exited the residence that had once been my drug haven, Dom following closely behind me.

. . .

"Get the fuck upstairs right now", he ordered as soon as the door slammed shut. I hadn't realized it but I must have been gone for numerous hours, given the peach of the evening sky that had cracked the exterior lining of my closed mind . . . Now maybe it was the rebellion in me or - solely the dose I was on – but either way, my next move was superbly stupid.

"_I don't have to listen to you – you're not my dad – you're just fucking nobody!_" In the same finish of my stoner statement I was jetting up the stairs and skidding all across the hallway before I felt him latch on to the hem of my shirt and pull me back in one fierce tug . . . "_What the fuck did you say to me?_" The words alone sent familiar chills down my spine. And – just like that – I was the motionless mute.

In that instant trotting steps were heard up the stairs and Vince appeared momentarily afterwards followed by Mia, and Letty - who already appeared ready to intercede as soon as the party did get started. "You're not doing this again", he began before Dom shoved me against the wall. "Says fucking who?" Mia moved around Vince to stand between the two. "_Says me_", she snapped. "_God damn it Dom what is this gonna solve … .what has it ever?_" Vince moved forward then, around Dom, to serve as a live human shield between us.

"It was my fault", he started again. "_I_ left it there that night – _it was my mistake Dom_ . . . what else could you expect?" . . . In this moment, with the scene frozen like this, I realized I had to be cutting off Vince's blood flow; my arms were both wrenched in a vice grip around one of his . . . Dom backed away, with this peculiar smile you knew wasn't sincere and - it almost felt as though he was not looking at me but straight through me instead.

"You've just been touched by an angel sweetheart . . . when you sober up you better thank _your protectors_", he said the words in a low, menace . . .

"You're like Hoover now", Letty mumbled to me with this grin before she went after Dom who had stormed off. My arms suddenly fell away from Vince as this woozy feeling over took me and I leaned back against the wall with my hands pressed to my stomach. Mia sighed. "Well at least now we know why you have been getting along so well . . . you're both druggies", she finished before bringing a hand up to ruffle my hair. "My brother's gonna end up facing first degree because of you one day", she seemed to go idle for a couple of seconds . . . "but at least I'll have my way with his precious Plymouth." She smirked raising an eyebrow as she shook her head then turned.

When it was just the two of us, he repossessed my hand in his again, slowly edging closer until we were almost chest to chest . . . He chuckled faintly . . . "Now you definitely owe me a night out."


	3. NEED

**NEED**

I could feel the liquid fire ripping me apart from the inside out before I gagged into the toilet. Vince put a hand to my forehead; he'd been hovering over me for an undetermined time. "There you go", his voice came in a delicate murmur before another bitter spew came up, burning my chest on the way . . .

Through peripheral vision, I could see Dom as he approached the open doorway . . . "Yup, that's a comedown for you", he said, _rather smug_. I was panting as Vince sat me up against the wall only inches away from the open, awaiting toilet. He knelt down beside me and I could see the dim blue eyes again that could suck the life from me right then and there . . . "You think she's got alcohol poisoning?"

From the background came Dom's low, _content_ chortle. "I think she's just fucked off her ass." Vince turned his head then. "You know, do you think you could at least _act civil_ around her occasionally?" The question was bitter, and the words were only as dry. Another brief laughter came . . . "This from a man of _oh so many morals, right?_" Vince glanced back at me once before rising back up. "Make yourself useful – _if that's even possible_. I'll be back."

And so there we were; the wolf and the _naïve_ lamb left to ourselves again. He leaned back against the sink counter. . . "Well . . . I assume you've learned your lesson." I looked away from him, letting my head fall sideways . . . "Is that a yes or a no?" I swallowed in an attempt to rid myself of the bitter after taste . . . "What's the right answer?" "That would be a _yes_." I nodded. "Ok . . . _I'll lie to you then_." He shook his head, with that same insincere smirk again.

"Juno, Juno . . . I can already see you and I are gonna bump heads allot." It was then that I forced myself to look up at him despite the increase in nausea. "_You can't keep me here forever_", I managed in slurred words. He laughed lowly. "What makes you think that?" But in mid thought - _searching for another senseless comeback_ - something convulsed in the very pit of my stomach and I lunged for the toilet.

I never noticed Dom was holding me steady until after the burning had eased some . . . "Ok", he murmured, adjusting me in his arms. "You're okay." But at the finish of his words the first of the tears came and a sob broke out from my aching throat. He sighed. "Come on now, don't cry", he said carrying me up and sitting me on the edge of the sink counter.

I slumped against his firm chest burying my face into the crook of his neck. As I felt the dabbing of cold water on the nape of my neck I jerked away but he held me locked in place. "I don't want it", I half grumbled. "I know you don't, but it's gonna help." "_I don't want it_", I half whined before another sob came, while I strained uselessly against his hold. "_Stop it_", he said, giving my back a single pat. "_You wanted to get fucked up right?_ Now here's the outcome. _Stop crying and deal with it_."

Vince finally reappeared multiple tears later. "Why's she crying – _what'd you do now?_" Dom sighed. "It's called _liquor emotions_ Vince. _Remember those?_" The next thing I knew, Dom was replaced with Vince, who held me against him. He brought an uncapped bottle up to my lips. "Drink this baby . . . _please_." "That's new", Dom commented in the back. "_Would you just shut up_", Vince only snapped in response.

. . .

I jerked as I felt the comforter fall down on me . . . "You're alright", my savior assured in a low, weary rasp. I opened my eyes to find him kneeled alongside me. The room was tinted now, under the glow of neon blue and after a half assed scan, a lava lamp plugged in a far corner, aligned just to the right of the window was distinguishable through fogged vision. . . "I found it in the garage", he explained. In the same my focus fell back on him . . . "Your eyes are blue" I managed in a low strain through locked jaws. He gave a faint laugh. "I um . . . found it in the garage . . . thought you would like it."

I heaved a sigh as I did my best to remain here – with him . . . "It's like they can't get to us here." He rolled his eyes. "Whose they?" For a moment I actually tried to think through my _illogical_ logic, in search of the answer that remained blended in the fog somewhere . . . "I don't know", I finally answered. In the same instant, I tried to push myself up onto my elbows but he quickly caught on and brought himself onto the bed to sit over me, keeping me in place. "Don't do that sweetie . . . you should rest."

"Don't you want me Vince?" was all I came back with. His eyebrows furrowed together and I would swear he had winced at the finish of my words. He leaned closer bringing a hand up to caress one of my cheeks . . . "I do want you" he whispered . . . "_I_ _want you more than anything._" It was hard – _if not impossible all together_ – to ignore his piercing gaze now . . . He sighed . . . "Sleep now Juno." I reached for his hand on my cheek and brought it away to rest in my own palm . . . "_I'll sleep when I'm dead_." He chuckled, the sound itself thoroughly worn.

"But then you'd never sleep", he countered. I could feel my eye lids, slowly becoming a heavy burden to maintain . . . "I have to die eventually. The whole _immortality_ thing is kind of unrealistic." He brought my hand up, pressing his lips into my palm . . . "Not on my watch", he whispered. I pulled my hand away moving onto my side . . . "Don't go tonight." His gaze fell . . . "I'm not going anywhere."

. . .

I knew I had to open my eyes eventually, _unless I planned on playing dead for the rest of my already pointless existence_. So after several minutes of procrastination, slowly – _very slowly_- I opened my eyes . . .

I could feel the firm support underneath my head before I reflexively flipped onto my stomach and – As my eyes met with the pair of pale blues casted with the golden glimmer of morning light – every muscle locked in place. . . "Good morning", his voice came in a velvety rasp . . . "_Hey_", I managed.

He pushed himself up against the mahogany headboard, smirking. I pushed back onto my knees, feeling a tad self conscious. "You talk in your sleep allot", he commented casually. I choked on a breath . . . "Do I?" He sighed . . . "Something about . . . _I didn't do it_?" he returned. I shook my head, numb . . . "I just have nightmares often . . . did I keep you up – I'm sorry." He chuckled . . . "No you didn't. I . . . actually found it entertaining . . . its interesting to hear your thoughts." I huffed, running a hand through my hair. "You mean my dreams . . . _you were listening to a dream_." He shrugged. "Well. _Your dreams_ are all The same entertaining." I swallowed . . . "Maybe", I murmured . . . "I'm gonna shower." He rolled his eyes, making a face. "Meet me downstairs when you're done."

I wiped away the fog in the mirror. . . Last night was now a distant flawed memory- _to me anyways_. What had I dram about and – more importantly- _what exactly had I said in my sleep?_ I could only shudder at the many possible confessions before a subtle knock at the door interrupted the stirring thoughts. "J", Dom called, "can I come in?" I sighed buttoning my blue plaid button down and turning for the door.

"Yeah", I greeted him dryly. He raised an eyebrow . . . "Think your shorts are short enough?" I folded my arms in front of me. "No, not really but I settled." He sighed, walking pass me . . . "_Shut the door please_." I could only hope my unmoved facade was maybe descent enough as I shut the door behind me . . . "What'd I do now?" I asked plainly. He scoffed, "I don't know you tell me."

I rolled my eyes. "Look", he began as he sat himself at the edge of the bathtub. He seemed to hesitate for a second before actually proceeding . . . "I know you don't wanna Talk about it but . . . I need to know what happened the night your uncle . . ." . . . The words produced a series of chills that rocketed through me and I swallowed down the lump that had formed almost instantly in the pit of my throat, threatening to cut off my air supply. . .

"I'm not talking about this with you", I only responded. Then as I went to turn away he suddenly got to his feet. "Sweetheart" – "_What?_" I cut him off. He moved a step forward causing me to back away against the door, my hand ready on the knob. "Juno . . . I know it wasn't your fault." The pressure was building in my chest now . . . "_Sit down sweetheart._" I shook my head numbly . . .

Cornered and emotionally crippled, it had only taken me seconds to storm back to the room and retrieve my bag. But, before I could make it back out, Dom was already blocking the path. "_Where are you going?_" I tried to push pass him, but he used an arm to curl around my waist and lightly shoved me along as he shut the door. "_Let me go!_" I exclaimed in rushed, _impatient_ words. "Ok", he only responded in a kind of sooth, "Let's just sit down for a minute . . . you and me."

My vision blurred as the tears overtook me and I struggled against his hold before I found myself down on his lap with my thrashing legs restrained underneath his. "Calm down sweetheart", he spoke against my ear. And – _in This one moment of helplessness_ – time froze and sheer desperation concocted the rest . . . I heaved a strained breath, before letting my body go limp in his embrace . . . "_I won't do it again_", The words left me, faint and shattered. In the same my legs were freed, and I turned to bury my face into the crook of his neck. "_I know_", he whispered as he held me pressed against him in a cradle.

The door suddenly came open, and when Dom sighed wearily, there was no longer a need to wonder who had come to intrude . . . "_Forcing her to talk about it won't change anything._" Vince outstretched a hand. "Come on baby . . . lets go." But I refused to show my mess of a face until Dom used a hand to force my chin up.

He turned my face away, leaving me to look up at my savior who stood before us - tall, proud, _and visibly enraged_. This could be easily deciphered in his body language; in his offensive stance or _solely in the murderous glare he sported_ . . . Dom adjusted me in his arms . . . "Would you look at that J . . . _we've got Vince all worked up_", he spoke against my ear before his arms fell from around me . . . "Go", he murmured before nudging me off of his lap.

"Are you two done going at it, _again_?" Letty questioned as soon as we entered the garage. She winked at me. "We're going out", he answered dryly as he walked directly pass her over to a blue maxima. She grimaced. "Geez, sorry . . . _Don't have a coronary._" As if she wasn't there all together, he only directed his attention back to me . . . "You coming?"

Letty snickered something under a breath, giggling as I made my way to the Maxima. Along the side I noticed the streak of red and white flames. They led to a silver, robot like shark with a variety of red, golden yellow, and blue designed amongst its figure as well. He held the passenger door open for me and I glanced back at her once, waving, before hopping in. "Good luck to you", I heard her say as the door shut. Through the rearview mirror, I watched him making his way around before letting myself sink into the sleek leather interior . . . "_Seriously_."

. . .

We're traveling at ninety miles per hour in a forty mile speed zone. _That won't attract any attention_. . .

"_Vince_", I finally worked up the nerve to speak. "What is it?" he responded, never looking my way. "Where um . . . where are we going exactly?" He grinned, passing a hand over his face. "I'm . . . still deciding." I nodded . . . "Ok."

Two and a half hours of silence, an extended search for parking, and countless skipped heartbeats later, there is San Diego. Down the strip known as Coast Boulevard in La Jolla, is _La Jolla cove_; a beach located in San Diego well known for its crystal clear waters and a high in pour of tourists searching for the perfect get away. _This is also the furthest I've ever been from home to the date_ . . .

It'd taken him some additional time to search around for spare change in the maxima and after jamming it in impatient fashion into the meter he finally turned to face me . . . "Guess it's a little late but . . . you like the beach?" A smile forced itself through my cool, calm façade. "The beach is nice . . . do you swim?" He seemed hesitant for a moment . . . "I don't . . . swim." I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You don't like the water?" His attention strayed to the scene below us on the beach. "I never learned to swim." A faint giggle left me then. "_You live in California_." He rolled his eyes. "Well…guess you'll have to teach me sometime", he ran a hand through his hair, "Come on, I wanna show you something."

After pushing pass an ample crowd of many rowdy by passers, I remembered exactly why this was the furthest I'd traveled from my limited Los Angeles; _I absolutely loathed any form of social interaction with all other human life forms. _

Minutes into the social plunge, he suddenly laughed . . . "_Why do I get the feeling you're not enjoying this at all?_" I glanced over at him letting the words fall into a proper order . . . "It's not that. I'm actually just really bad at the social thing. . .people are . . ." Another laugh came, "_People are what?_" I sighed rolling my eyes. "They're just really . . ._disturbing_." He nodded, his lips pursing. Then as we reached the end of the mile long boardwalk he stopped, clearly hesitating before extending a hand. "This is where it gets a little difficult." I'd already noticed the slant just aside from us where the ground was a mess of silky white gravel. "You think I can't handle it?" He chuckled faintly. "I kind of already know you can't sweetheart."

. . .

I'm normally a walking talking accident; put me on an uneven, narrow path aligned with abnormal sized boulders and a heap of shrubs and you mine as well call it a regular old suicide mission . . .

My fingers were intertwined with his in a vice grip as we moved around a grand set of sharp rocks. In that moment I broke the cardinal rule; _never look down . . . _my estimate was almost certainly way off, but it felt like we were thousands of feet above the waves of the high tide beneath us. And – in the next blink- I felt one of my legs give in as I slipped before he turned pulling me against him and leaning us back against the exterior wall of the sea cliff behind us . . . My palms were already damp against his chest as I felt my heart pounding in all of its panic . . .

When I felt finally capable, I looked up and was greeted by his humored smirk. "Your heart's beating fast", he said, the words sounding half sung. I huffed, "_No way_." He ran the back of his hand along the side of my face, and a part of me was annoyed at how entertained he clearly was. He sighed . . . "We're almost there. _I promise_", he assured.

The sound of crashing waves was almost fading from the top of the cliff where we stood. This was new, and different, and - _most definitely worth the near death experience. _The sky was this odd pale blue and the shimmer of glistening gold that radiated from the sun made the span of ocean far too tempting . . . Vince released my hand, straying some steps ahead to the very point of the overlapping cliff . . . "Nice, huh?" A faint laugh left me at the statement. "Um – _yeah_." I caught him glance over his shoulder . . . "Come here", The simple, _soft_ words beckoned.

So slowly - _one reluctant step after another_- I walked the crunching path to his side . . . "Do you come here allot?" I asked solely for the sake of breaking the _ear piercing_ silence. He sighed. "Not much since my mom passed away a few years back." And - _I could nearly shoot myself._ "I'm sorry", I apologized. He shrugged. "Don't be, she was a raging bitch . . . I used to come here after every visit . . . nice place To get away from all the bullshit now and again." I exhaled a slow breath . . . "I'm still sorry."

In the same he gave a low, _dragged out _sigh . . . "I'm having Trouble . . ." the words trailed away . . . "_You're having trouble_", I repeated, _pressing_. Another sigh came . . . "I'm having trouble staying away from you and – I know I should but . . . _I can't_." There's that moment where everything freezes and certain words might cause you to fall into some state of deep thought . . . _this wasn't that moment . . . but it was really never meant to be . . . _

"_Then don't_." He shook his head, and his lips pursed into a crooked line. "It's not that easy sweetheart . . . Jesus Juno I'm nearly twice your age." I could feel my insides as they shrunk; could feel the cool breeze suddenly go dry and _too cold_ around us . . ."Why did you bring me here?" I countered in response now. "Because", he began immediately, "I . . . thought it would be nice for you and" – "_Why did you bring me here?_" I shouted back, discontinuing his words. The tears that threatened to rise up against me only served as an additional source of irritation, and I turned my back to him.

"I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to upset you . . . This is my fault, I don't know what I was thinking." I blinked to clear my vision, feeling the weight of my body as it went_, lighter and lighter_ . . . "Take me back", I only responded weakly. "Juno"- he went to start again- "I said Take me back . . . _Now_."

. . .

I couldn't recall any bit of the road home. All that was most memorable was the time; _it had been never ending, _forever dragging in a wide, dank empty space . . .

I leaped out of the car just after we pulled into the garage before the Maxima could come to a complete stop . . . "Juno wait . . . _please_!" he called after me. "_Stay away from me!_" I snapped. Letty slid out from under one of the other cars, causing me to almost trip over her. "What's going on?" she asked. But I never bothered to answer, continuing into the house before the tears could begin to betray me again.

"How was the road trip?" Mia had also questioned, startling me as I crossed through the kitchen. "J!" "Leave me alone!" I called back my words at last breaking at their end. In the same instant, Dom appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"What's going on with you?" I was fuming by this point, desperate to run and hide myself away before it was too late. And – _just to complete the blissful atmosphere_ – Vince made his glorious entrance. "_Dom I'm sorry – Its not her fault, I swear_." I refused to look back at him – _refused to lose the little dignity I had left to my worthless name_ . . . Dom surprisingly moved aside, clearing the way for me . . . "Alright, go upstairs . . . I'll be up in a minute." In the same grant I took off, aching to leave this pitiful scene . . . _dying to escape the hurt of my savior's rejection_.

Deep underneath the sanctity of the covers - from underneath the pillow – the muffled argument was unfortunately still within hearing range . . . I think Letty was the most infuriated; every one of her words were hostile, setting the standard for_ dangerously on edge_. Like a boomerang they seemed to circulate around the house giving off the impression that they were for the whole instead of just one . . . "_You don't do that__!_" she snapped, cutting _him _off - _again_.

"What was I supposed to do?" he shouted in response, his words were more similar to bellowing howls. "Never say shit to begin with Vince!" Mia suddenly jumped in again after a minute to minute absence, "_She is just a child!_" My heart palpitated at the sharp statement that seemed to convict me. But the roar that intruded next could put all of the rest into a corner. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" Dom shouted, and the room went dead . . . "Let's take this outside", he resolved. And that was the last I heard of the over heated debate.

. . .

I suppose it's immature to hide underneath the covers like some ticked off toddler; _so I chose the rooftop instead_. . .

I'd ducked out of the window, and now sat on the second story platform of the Toretto home . . . The night sky was a great big smudge of indigo above the city lights and I remember the exact reality as it came to drag me down from the feeble pet stool I clung to . . . _I was just a child _and – assuming Vince had ever considered awarding me The benefit of The _outstanding _doubt – I had just disproved it all.

Then - mid deep Into my personal pity party- the sound of the window as it slid open caused me to jump to my feet . . .

I watched _him_ maneuver his way out onto the platform . . . "_Hey_." I backed further away to create the distance needed . . . "_What'd you want now?_" I asked dryly. He sighed looking away from me and as he did so I turned away from him . . . "The roof", he stated. Forced a deep breath . . . "Just go away Vince." There was a brief silence and I was hoping I'd turn to face nothing, but there he still was, _never moving_.

"You hate me now", the words were not in question but only searching for confirmation. . . I put my best effort into a plain, humorless laugh . . . "Don't flatter yourself Vince . . . _I don't have the time to hate you_." He ran a hand over his mouth, and I could just barely make out the smirk he attempted hide. . . "_Says the girl who jumped out of a moving car._" I had to bite the inside of my bottom lip then to contain some of the nasty words.

"Yeah well, I couldn't wait to get away from you." He nodded, giving a low chuckle. "Ok then . . . why are we even having this conversation now? _Why even bother with me when you could tell me to fuck the hell off and get out of your face?_" He took a step forward and in the same I took one back. He sighed . . . "Look . . . I fucked up alright . . . I fucked up bad earlier but . . . all I want is you now."

I was the mute, stiff against his words. It was when I moved forward, hoping to pass him by, that my right foot slipped on a loose tile and – simultaneously- I found myself dangling over the edge of the house with only one of his arms sustaining me . . . I could feel the breaths of air as they left him, brushing against my collar bone . . . "Careful", he warned in a strained murmur. . . "Don't move", he instructed; I could only manage a nod in response. . . In one swift jerk I found myself resting against him. He was leaned back against the window pane, one arm secured around me, as he breathed, slow breath after breath . . .

"Jesus Christ girl . . . you're killing me", he spoke after some time. I let out the breath I'd been holding . . . "I'm sorry", I only whispered back. In that moment he burst into chortles. "You're so bipolar", he said as he finally reined in his self control . . . "Are you still mad at me?" The reboot came seconds afterwards. I pushed myself up off of him, remaining on my knees in between his legs for the sake of some false security . . . "You need help", I finally answered. He sighed . . . "_I thought that was you._"

I half leaned against one of his legs . . . "I need you." In the same end of my words I only wished I could somehow dissolve Into the air around us . . . He leaned forward, bringing a hand up To cup The side of my face . . . "It would never work." I forced my weakest smile. "So then where's the loss . . . _if we both know it would never work_." He pulled his hand away falling back against the pane again.

"This life isn't for you J." In that moment, I could see in him all the words he would never dare to speak. I could see the life I'd never have and Then . . . _I could see us_- everyday, all the time- like there was never meant to be anything else . . . "How would you know?" The question in return held all of The momentum one could bare and I waited, burning away inside . . . He shook his head. "Taking you would be the most selfish thing I could ever do . . . To take your life away from you" – I heaved a frustrated sigh that stopped him . . . "Vince . . . I've already taken my own life away . . . you couldn't do any worse even if you wanted to", I strained in a whisper.

And then there was the silence that seemed to scream infinite words. "I'm begging you Juno." I swallowed, "And I'm begging you . . . I won't let this go." Then, abruptly, he sat up in one rigid movement causing me to reflexively jerk away . . . He shook his head, his eyebrows furrowing together before he took my hand . . . "I'll damn this moment one day." I leaned closer, resting my free hand on his shoulder . . . "_But Then I'll be There To remind you why you Shouldn't_."

. . .


	4. SHIFT

**SHIFT **

"Go with Mia", Vince murmured into my ear as we made it down the stairs, where Dom waited by the front door. I never responded, only complied, because when the shit hit the fan, I wanted to be nowhere within immediate reach. It's safe to call it, _Rule Number One_; when given the opportunity to dodge a bullet, _never second guess it_.

In the kitchen Mia sat on the countertop, beside the sink. Her lips were pursed and she was clearly suppressing a ton of laughter. A slam came from behind me and I turned to see Letty beside the fridge . . . "Shit storm after shit storm in this house, I swear", she said. In the same she moved around me without another word . . .

"You know", Mia spoke as I looked after Letty, "I hope you really mean this much to Vince because", she paused, "Dom will be the end of him." I sighed . . . "Well . . . that's nothing new . . . _right_?" She laughed, the sound much over enthused, but all the same audible only between the two of us.

"Not really", she confirmed, "But it never does get old." I exhaled a short, slow breath . . . "And Letty?" I continued. "She's mad at me." Mia shook her head, as she hopped off of the counter. "Not at all with you. _Just Vince_ . . . She thinks what he's doing is wrong." It took some effort to shove away all of the contradicting thoughts before I went on . . .

"Why's it wrong?" She shrugged. "Maybe it has something to do with the age difference or maybe Vince's very short Temper." I scoffed . . . "Dom's like way older than her isn't he?" She rolled her eyes, giggling . . . "J, if you're planning on trying to decipher all the many states of mind that fall into this household, I can only wish you the best of luck." She sighed . . . "_Now do you wanna know the one thing that does matter?_"

I stood leaned against the Maxima . . . "_No way_, street racers are into cars?" Mia rolled her eyes, making a face at me. "They're not just any cars you smart ass, they're _our cars_." She slowly strutted alongside an aqua blue Honda Integra. The hood was a total contrast, coal colored, and running along both sides of the car were streaks of pink and a set of silver wings. "This one is mine . . . Dom built it for my eighteenth birthday as a graduation present."

I sat back, onto The Maxima's hood. "Cool, cool", I answered simply. "So do you race too?" She shook her head, smiling unusually modest. "Only on occasion, Letty can keep that spot light. I like to avoid all of the attention . . . _as often as is possible anyways_." I laid back against the windshield. "What about the others – their cars, I mean." She sighed, moving around To lean against the hood of the Honda . . . her eyes strayed away and I followed them to find only empty space . . . "Dom and Letty's cars are in the shop getting some work done for next week's race." Then - In the same instant that I looked back at her – The mechanical clink of The garage door behind us as it rose stopped the next question before it ever had a chance. . .

I let myself slide off of The Maxima before Dom appeared, followed by Letty and Vince . . . "Let's take the charger", Dom said, in a low, _all too mellow_ tone. Vince nodded, and I found myself counting steps again . . . "Hey", he greeted. He stood, blocking off the sight of Mia, who was already preoccupied exchanging hushed whispers with Letty . . . I couldn't bring myself to meet the daze of blue that threatened to collapse all of the world that I'd once known . . .

"Hey", I finally managed just as I felt myself go stiff against him. "I have to go run a few errands for work . . . I'll be back", he explained, and The uneasy pressure dissolved . . . "Wait", I said as the words finally did thoroughly process . . . "It's almost nine, what work?" He laughed, faintly . . . "It's just some stuff at the shop." A rapid knock came from behind . . . "Yeah, _it's all so hot_, now can we go?" Dom interrupted impatiently. I felt his hands that had, _at some unconscious point_ landed on my waist fall away . . . "I'll be back real soon."

Despite a personal off feeling, I dismissed the many questions that came up then, longing to be answered. And thus comes to be Rule Number Two: the old, critical yet overused, _don't ask, don't tell_. Because there wasn't enough time . . . because in the end, what purpose would the answers themselves serve? I gave a curt nod in response. "_Ok._" He came back with a half smirk. An irritated huff came from behind. "_Time is ticking_", Dom stressed again. He rolled his eyes before backing away . . . "You might not wanna wait up." I made a face at him. "I wait on no one Sir." Dom was already ready and waiting, seated on the driver's side of the Midnight charger. Letty swooped pass me but not before giving my shoulder an unnecessary squeeze. She glanced back at me. "Seriously, _don't wait up_."

I kept a close eye on the Charger as it went down the paved drive up until it made a sharp peel and sped out of sight.

. . .

Mia was on the sofa, her arms folded in front of her, staring blankly at the _blank _television screen . . . Given that she hadn't spoken in nearly an hour, I decided, finally, to approach her.

"You know, this is just me but . . . I think there's supposed to be something playing when you're staring at that big box over there." She sighed, leaning back before looking directly at me for the first time since everyone else had gone away on their _work errands_. "I'm sorry . . . I just worry is all." I sat down beside her, letting my legs extend on the obtuse _L_ . . .

"They're not really running any _errands_ are they?" I asked emphasizing the supposed errands with a couple of air quotes. She huffed . . . "Yes . . . and no", she responded in a low, _careful_ tone. I rolled onto my stomach. "It can't be a yes and a no Mia, so which is it?" She sighed, looking away from me . . . "I'm not supposed to tell you J . . . not yet anyways . . . Dom says we're supposed to wait." "_Why?_" I continued on my persistent quest to a curiosity's end. "Because", she only responded, plainly. I sighed. "_Because why?_" She sat back up. "Because I said so."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you mean because _Dom said so_." She frowned. "Are you being smart now?" "Vince and I are together now you know", I only countered in response. "We're a _couple_ . . . _an item_, and any other reference that applies to two people in a relationship." She scoffed. "Yeah and you guys have been together for what – _five minutes?_" "Five minutes, five hours, five days, five years . . . _does it really matter?_" She laughed weakly, biting down on her bottom lip before she stood . . . "You're a smooth talker . . . _but not that smooth_", she answered just as casually. "Now I'm going outside to make a phone call. _You_ sit tight." And, with that, I was left to simmer away in my own defeat.

_Me, myself, and I _is not at all the ideal combination for a head case.

I was half crouched on the second story platform, one hand gripped to the edge of the window pane for safety purposes this time . . . "Don't do this please . . . I'm begging you Dom", I could clearly make out Mia's pleading words. I crouched down lower. "_The Last time is every time with you Dominic!_" Her words broke at their end . . . "If you're not back by the morning I'm going after you . . . I'll bring her with me too. You can tell Vince I said That", The threat came in an irritable mutter. When There was silence I peaked over the edge of the platform only to find the empty lawn . . .

"Come on", The voice came from behind, and I jerked around to see her. "I wanna show you something."

. . .

Complimented by a slightly faded hamburger, written in large, red lettering was _Toretto's Market_. Mia strolled by, kneeling beside a steel door and undoing a small pad lock centered at the bottom before it came up with one rapid release of her hand. I trailed behind her in the dark, at one point jamming my foot into something, until the lights came on disturbing my vision . . .

"There we are", Mia murmured as she made her way around a widespread counter where the register was shoved away to the right corner. I stared around at the miniature shop. It was the kind of place you would only stop at for a quick fix meal or an absolute last resort late night shopping run . . . "You own this right?" I asked after a single, brief once over. "Both of us do . . . Dom opened it a few years back, but I spend most of _my time_ running it." I exhaled a breath before turning back to her. "So . . .What did you wanna show me?"

A certain smug smirk formed across her expression. "It'll be a while before they get here . . . it's all about the waiting game now." I folded my arms in front of me, leaning against the counter top. "Dom's really gonna have one, huh?" She quirked an eyebrow, seeming to find some form of self satisfaction in my question. . . "He'll be furious." I swallowed at the confirmation, before she rolled her eyes. "Don't worry this will only be considered a defiance from my part . . . he won't even remember you exist by the time he's through flipping." I scoffed, "And this will accomplish?" She sighed . . . "Hopefully, a lesson he'll never forget." "Why?" She laughed, unsmiling. "You'll see."

. . .

The trio of glossy black Honda Civics appeared perhaps only minutes before dawn, when I was helping Mia stock one of the shelves with whole wheat bread. They parked across the street and at the sound of car doors opening and shutting, I noticed Mia look over me To the Market's entrance. "Be cool ok", she said in half hushed words, before the boss himself appeared.

"_Come here_", The order came in a low menace. Thankfully, I never had to wonder who he spoke to. Mia moved around me, walking with all the self confidence I would never think to have. In the same instant that she was within certain reach, Dom pulled her roughly against him. "What is she doing here?" he asked crudely, pointing a finger in my direction, and I stood, preparing for the very worst of his wrath. Before I could begin my backwards march however, I felt someone bump against me.

Letty removed her sunglasses . . . "Well, what are you waiting for? Run while you still have the chance." "_You looked for this!_" Mia's escalated Tone stopped me as I went to leave. Letty gave me a light push, regaining my attention. "_Go now J_." With that I went, never hesitating, and doing the best I could to remain _non existent _as I passed the sibling rivalry in progress . . .

Across the street Vince stood, leaned against one of the Civics, and I never thought twice . . . "Some Errands", was the first inanity that left my mouth when I reached him. He chuckled, shaking his head in response. "Figures Mia wasn't joking", he said, and the words seemed more so intended for himself. I went to lean against the Civic before he abruptly stopped me, keeping both of his hands on either side of me . . . "Don't", he cautioned in a low gruff. "What's the problem?" I only questioned in return. He released me from his hold, reaching into his pocket. He retuned with a box of Marlboro reds and retrieved a cigarette.

"It's not a good idea", he answered shortly after lighting up. I huffed . . . "_Well that sure answers everything_." He sighed. "You're not gonna let this go now, are you?" In the same I reached one of my hands into his pocket until I found the box and brought out a cigarette for myself. He passed me his lighter . . . "No way", I responded after I'd taken in the first puff. He nodded, running a hand over his beard . . .

"It's not legal", he finally explained after an extended silence. I scoffed. "Great, _that leaves just about a couple thousand possibilities to choose from_." He flicked his cigarette several feet off . . . "That's all I can give you for now." In the same he began to walk, only stopping when he was in the middle of the isolated roadway. He looked back at me . . . "Come on, we're going home." I purposely dragged out another puff . . . "Isn't _this your car?_" I countered. "_My other car _is outback", he responded, just as unmoved. And I rolled my eyes, flicking The half smoked red aside.

As the garage door came closed, he stood frozen beside The Maxima. I pushed passenger door shut, feeling the tension as it built around us . . . "Are we just gonna stand here?" I finally asked lowly. He moved slowly around the Maxima until we were face To face . . . "Did Mia say anything to you?" I sighed. My patience was really wearing thin now. "No she didn't . . . _your precious secret life is safe and sound_."

"No, it's not a secret life, it's just . . . separate", he concluded. In the same I stepped around him, headed for the door, only to find myself locked out. "It's locked", he said. I turned impatiently. "_Can you just let me in?_" He sighed before coming forward. I backed away from him as he undid the lock and gave the door a push before stepping aside.

It was maybe seconds that passed before he was Trailing behind me up the stairs. I kicked off my shoes as I entered the room and made sure never to spare him any form of attention as I buried myself underneath the comforter . . . "You didn't make the bed", he spoke randomly. But I refused to even move; _partially because I was frozen amidst my own thoughts_ . . . The steps of his boots came before I felt the bed slant . . . "You're very persistent." With that I sat up shoving the comforter halfway off. "_You know if This is what its gonna be like you can just fuck off!_"

He let his head fall back against The headrest . . . "I don't wanna _fuckoff _obviously, That's why I'm with you." "Whatever", I muttered in response, laying back down and Turning onto my side. An arm suddenly appeared curling around me. He pulled me To his side . . . "It's not my secret To Tell", he said in a weary sooth. I hesitated, debating with myself . . . "Goodnight Vince." His arm went to move before I pulled it back into my stomach . . . "I didn't say to leave." He slid underneath the comforter and in the same I shut my eyes.

. . .

"What'd you end up Telling her?" Dom's voice was what first processed . . . I didn't open my eyes. I didn't know if it was because of how awkward it would feel to face Dom while my head rested against Vince's shoulder or if it was just for the sake of seeing where this conversation would lead so long as I was presumed unconscious. . . "I told her the truth . . . that I couldn't say anything", I could feel the light vibrations that emitted from his chest where my palm was planted as he spoke . . . "What would be your choice?" Dom only asked in response. Vince sighed . . . "I'm afraid she won't be so willing to remain clueless after a while. So if it was up to me", he paused, "I mean I mine as well tell her . . . better from me than from Mia the next time you piss her off, right?" The silence was so much that it made me wonder if they had caught on to my sleeping façade . . . "Not too much", Dom's finally answered . . . "Just enough." "I got you", Vince replied. There was the sound of footsteps retreating but I was set on playing this out for as long as I was sure that we were in fact alone again . . .

"You would suck at playing dead", he mumbled against my ear. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes . . . "Didn't suck to Dom." He chuckled. "That's only because Dom didn't notice the change in breathing." I sat up, still keeping my hand against his chest for the support. "Ok, it's kind of creepy that you're monitoring my breathing while you sleep, but I'm willing to dismiss it if you just tell me now." He sighed, "Tell you what?" he asked, his Tone half mocking. I rolled my eyes . . . "What you guys were really doing last night."

"See now who does this type of shit when they first wake up?" I moved my hand away and leaned back against the headboard folding my arms in front of me. "_I do_." He made a face at me before sitting up and running a hand through his hair . . . "_Fuel_ . . . we were Taking some fuel." I was completely dumbfounded, as I looked over at him. He sighed . . . "You know fuel . . . gas . . . for cars." More confusion was only produced following his clarification. "Gas", I repeated. "How do you guys take gas?" "The trucks hauling it over . . . sort of a business deal we have with the destination ports", he answered casually, laying back. "So there . . . _we ambush the trucks, take the fuel and then sell it off for lower prices_."

"That's it?" I asked now. If there was anything that proved I was truly not normal, it was the fact that I found the theft of gas from traveling semis _not to be such a horrible offense._ He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah . . . _that's it_ I guess." "Well . . . that was a total letdown", I concluded and his expression became lit with amusement . . . "What exactly were you expecting?" I shrugged. "I don't know, I mean . . . I Thought you were gonna tell me you guys were drug dealers or maybe assassins or something." He nodded. "Well . . . sorry for The letdown, I guess." I let myself slump onto my back, sighing . . . "It's okay I'm so use To letdowns."

He leaned over me . . . "I won't let you down." In The same moment he pressed his lips against mine. I brought my arms To curl around The nape of his neck as he sucked softly on my bottom lip . . . when his breathing grew heavy he suddenly broke away . . . "_I have to be at the shop in a bit_", he whispered faintly. I swallowed. "_Ok_." He lingered over me for a bit longer before pushing himself back up. "You should keep sleeping . . . you were up all night baby." My cheeks felt warm and I could only hope I wasn't blushing. Through The creak above the curtains I could see the dim gold.

"What time is it?" I asked him just after he was out of bed. He reached for The Nextel on the nightstand. "Almost one." I rolled onto my side. "Can I come?" He leaned down . . . "Today's gonna get really busy. We'll be running around most of the day and you'd just get bored." He pecked his lips against mine . . . "Another day baby . . . I promise."

. . .

I was in the closet searching Through my duffle bag for a change of clothes just after my shower when I noticed it; The Bottle of _Kettle One _Vodka concealed underneath a rack of dress shirts. . . I must have spent at least a good half hour crouched beside it before I threw on a random white tank top and some grey sweats, Taking The bottle back To bed with me . . . It was my first day alone at the Toretto home and I had initially planned to make the most of it . . . _The first couple of swigs hit the hardest_. . .

The gleam of faded orange somehow showed through the thick glass creating the faint illusion of a sparkle. Then, right after I lost my balance, falling back against the headboard, I reached for the Nextel on the nightstand, struggling to work the device before I located Dom's number . . .

"Hello", he answered in a cool rasp. I had to force myself onto my side before I was able to respond. "Hi Dom", I managed. "_Hey you_", he replied, sounding in a way humored, which made me instantly regret the ever daring phone call. In that moment the bottle slipped from my hand, banging as it made contact with the wood floor, and rolling away.

I heaved an exhausted sigh . . . "Dom put Vince on now." I could hear a faint laugh come in response . . . "_So what are you on this time?_" I slammed a fragile fist against the corner edge of the nightstand and winced at the feeling. "_I'm on the bed_", I grumbled in a half slur. "Just put Vince on", I whined now. Another laugh came. "I think it's for you", I heard him say, The words distant and fading now.

"Yeah baby", Vince finally answered, and I felt my insides go tight in The same instant. . . "Vince . . . _Vince come over here now_", I strained. "I'm working babe", he only responded, calm as ever. "_Just come now or I'll go over there_." "You don't even know where I am", he said, and I could make out the sound of gruff laughter. "I'll find you", I countered. A sigh came . . . "_You drank the bottle I had in the closet didn't you?_" "No!" I yelled back. "_Just come here now_", I repeated the same senseless line, before snapping the Nextel shut. And thus began _The Day To Remember_.

. . .

Inch after inch, I dragged myself along the floor in unsteady, twisting motions. When basic movement becomes a struggle, _it might be wise to stop drinking_ . . . I slammed myself against the wall just as I grasped the bottle. I did away with the coal cap and - just as I brought it to my lips in hopes of remaining warm and unfeeling - the bitter sweet poison was out of reach again . . .

"I got you", he murmured as he carried me up, setting me down lightly on the untidy bed. He sighed as he seated himself beside me . . . "You are a handful and then some." I went to sit up but he held me in place. "You're late", I said, straining against his hold. He sat me up and pulled me onto his lap leaning back with me in his arms. "It's been less than an hour J." "It was longer, you're a liar", I only argued. In the same I went to reach for the bottle on the nightstand before he smacked my hand away. "_Are you crazy?_" "Maybe", I simply replied. He took the bottle and set it down somewhere below.

"That is the last time I leave you and any form of alcohol alone in the same household." I adjusted myself on his lap so that my legs were straddled around his waist. He sighed . . . "Behave please." "_I'm not doing anything._" He suddenly stood, bringing me up with him and setting me down on my feet.

The expression he sported was uncomforting. _Pain_ . . . it was like he was in physical pain . . . "Are you hungry?" I took a step back, nearly stumbling over my left foot. "I don't want anything", I managed to answer. It was amazing how quickly you could go from out of touch to sickeningly sober. I turned away, hoping to make it at least out the door before staggering sideways . . . "I love you", he said just as I made it to the doorway. And – just like that- my spinning surroundings halted in place . . . I exhaled a nearly silent breath . . . "No you don't." I had to will my legs to move, before I could continue onwards.

I stared blankly into the mirror, my hands pressed against the sink counter . . . I couldn't think of a single instant in my life when I had actually craved sobriety. _Why did he have to go there? _And this – _why had I ever done this?_ A subtle knock brought me back to the present, and I grimaced as I straightened up. For several seconds I remained, face to face with the door, until finally my hand involuntarily went to the knob.

"_I don't want to talk about this_", was as far as I got before my words were muffled by his lips that crushed into mine. All of the air seemed to escape at once from my lungs as he hiked me up, and I locked my legs around his waist arching my back as it hit the wall.

. . .

We were laid back against one of the cabinets just beneath the counter. I rested in between his legs tracing my finger tips along the plush rug that cushioned us . . . He pressed his lips into my hair . . . "The others will be home soon" he murmured softly, "we should dress." I'd almost forgotten the fact that we were still in our underwear. It felt like ours had passed since I'd fallen into this trance like state where time had stilled but all the same seemed to have somehow skipped us by.

I reached for his jeans that he had kicked off to a corner earlier on and passed them to him before sitting up. He helped me slide my sweats back on while I slid my tank top back on . . . "So how was it?" I got up before looking back at him. "It was okay." He laughed lowly. "_okay?_" I rolled my eyes. "If you're fishing for compliments you're so screwed." He stood as he buttoned his jeans. "You're the real detached type, huh?" I went up to him reaching into the right pocket of his jeans and retrieving the box of Reds. "_And you're the man in the relationship right?_"

He scooped me up suddenly, holding me high above his head . . . "Are you afraid?' he asked in a weary rasp. I made a face at him. "Maybe in your sick dreams." In the same he set me back down keeping both of my hands in his while looking down at me . . . "_I love you_", The words came in a whisper – _heavy and Too sure_. The air was minimal again as I slipped my hands from his, backing away . . . "Even if you do . . . _what if I'm not sure just yet?_" The light, clearly visible in his expression now, was dangerous almost.

"I never expected you to be. I just wanted you to know . . . _I know what I feel_ - here and now anyways . . . _But what else really matters pass that?_" . . . I shrugged. "Nothing I guess."

. . .

**Ok guys, so I'm very sorry for The delay of This chapter -_- and well . . . Hear it is =D … I would also like To personally Thank everyone who has added WHAT IT TAKES To Their favorite stories and subscription lists it really does mean allot. Well, I guess That's all for now -_- Let me know what you Think *_***


	5. LINES

**LINES**

Someone once told me it was all about perception. _Life is what you perceive it to be_. But I think - at some critical point – I must have misinterpreted that statement.

"I wanted to come back you know." I flicked the cigarette up and away before turning to face him. "What'd you mean?" He slumped back onto the first porch step. "Last night when we left", he explained. I strayed a few steps closer. "Well . . . its not like you couldn't have." He chuckled wearily, running a hand over his head. "It doesn't exactly work like that . . . _it cant_." I hesitated at first, contemplating how stupid the next question would really sound. "Why?" I asked in the end doing away with all the rest of the procrastinations.

He looked up at me and I could see the significant change in his expression . . . "We have to do what we have to do babe." I went up to sit beside him half leaning against his arm . . . "Ever thought of a better way?" He looked over at me, almost like this moment wasn't new to him – like this question was all too common and the answer he would give was mechanical, like a chain reaction . . . "Some time ago maybe . . . but we're here now, and . . . there's just no going back."

I returned with my best casual nod letting my locked stare wander away . . . "And you", he broke the silence seconds later, "I don't exactly know much." In the same I was suddenly all too defensive but I supposed it was only fair, an all too personal question for another more incriminating one . . . _well deserved_ . . . I had to first manage to unlock my clenched jaws . . . "I um . . . I lived on a farm once. It was me and my grandmothers." I forced myself to breathe . . . "We had allot of animals. I . . . I had a horse – we use to breed them- he was a stallion, all white . . . my grandmother came up with the name Coco when she got him for me because she said he was just as white as the inside of a coconut." I winced at the images that came in a very brief, teasing flash in that instant.

Vince seemed only entertained, or so said the crooked smile he sported now. "I hate horses . . . had one kick me right in the gut one time when I was a kid. Cant stand the fuckers." I huffed releasing the air I'd been retaining. "That's awesome", I looked back at him, "And – really kind of a shame." He laughed the sound one low gruff. "Maybe for you baby", he moved his arm aside curling it around my waist . . . "Maybe one day I'll take you to ride again." I looked away to hide another twitch of my expression . . . "I wouldn't want too . . . Coco was the only one for me – I'd probably feel like I was cheating on him."

I looked back in time to catch him rolling his eyes. "Aren't you already doing that with me?" One of my brows arched. "You're comparing yourself to a horse . . . _an animal_?" He laughed faintly again . . . "I'm an animal you know." "Or just close enough", I countered. At the finish of my words the midnight charger suddenly came into view just before it turned onto the paved slanted drive.

Dom made his way up the slope of lawn, Letty following close behind him. "What's up drunk dial?" he greeted with the smug remark I should have seen coming much earlier on. Letty chortled in the background, and I rolled my eyes. "You're just jealous of my higher intelligence." He nodded once. "Yeah . . . _That's exactly it_."

In the same he looked to Vince . . . "So are you racing tomorrow night or what?" "Yeah, Yeah", Vince responded wearily. "I'll keep the clowns off of you and you take care of the rest." Dom's lips pursed, raising an eyebrow. "Just try to blend in a little this time will you." Vince nudged me off of him and I rose to my feet with him. "It's no problem." Letty removed her sunglasses. "Isn't it always macho man?" He only glared at her before his focus fell back on Dom. "Where's Mia?" Dom's entire mood seemed to alter in the same mention of the name as he looked away from us . . . "She's not coming home tonight . . . said she'll meet us back here tomorrow", he answered dryly.

I was laid out flat on my stomach in the bed. Vince was over me massaging my shoulders and every muscle in my body had gone from solid bricks to loose, flexible bands . . . "I have to go with Dom tomorrow on a couple practice runs before the race." My eyes came open again . . . "That's fine", I managed in a mumble . . . "So", I went on cautiously . . . "Am I invited?" I heard his breathless laugh. "Of course you are . . . if you want to anyways." I sighed. "Of course I want to. It'll be like Nascar except its illegal, not on a racetrack, and endangering the lives of yourselves and other seemingly clueless pedestrians . . . which means it's got to get interesting at some point." In the same I felt a slap against my bottom and reflexively turned onto my back underneath him. "_Ow you fucking dick!_" He remained mounted over me with this grin. "That's what you get for being such a smart ass."

I frowned slightly irritated. He sighed before falling off of me onto his back beside me and in the same I mounted him . . . "I'm not afraid of you." He rolled his eyes. "Well that's too bad because I can barely sleep at night just knowing your laying beside me", he said in a mock tone. I leaned down, moving my legs in between his so that I could lay on my stomach, my chin resting on his chest . . . "Mia said it's not safe." He brought an arm over my lower back . . . "Allot of things aren't safe if you don't know how to handle yourself." I swallowed doing my best to detain the anxiety I could feel slowly creeping up on me . . . "I take it you can handle yourself then." He sat up then with me in his arms and I sat back on my knees as he brought me closer into him . . . "I can handle everything . . . all except for losing you."

The words were sickening in every way, but they could still melt me into slush . . . "I tend to always stick out no matter what . . . so it'd be pretty hard to lose me I'm guessing", I managed in a mumble. I could feel the air as it left him then against my throat . . . "I hope not", he finally responded. He nudged my lips with his before biting down softly on my bottom lip . . . "I got this funny feeling", he whispered in between another velvet kiss. "About?" I barely spoke the word. He huffed lowly his hips bucking gently against mine . . . He twisted us sideways and in the next blink I found myself on my back again. His face was hidden away in the crook of my neck when I flinched as I felt his teeth sink into my flesh with unexpected ferocity . . . "It's probably nothing", he whispered back.

. . .

I awoke to the image of the poisonous bottle, snapping my eyes back shut as the specs of light seemed to intentionally spark back at me. When I was actually lucid enough to focus I could make out the scribbled black written in permanent marker across the front. _DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT . . . Love you_ . . . I rolled my eyes before scrambling out of the mess of sheets.

In the shower I thought of the last week's events. I wondered how exactly I had gotten here and why - for some unknown reason - I could barely recall a majority of the details. This was very unlike me given that I had undoubtedly always been known for _reading too much into things_. Not to mention my constant analysis and _over analysis _of the world around me. It was like the world was running in reverse. Like gravity was slowly ceasing and nothing else mattered anymore. But deep down what ate at me the most was the absence of him.

It was unrealistic of me to believe that the world did owe me this moment and, even more so, that his world should come to this sudden halt along with my own . . . _Rule Number Three_: In the moments of dyer desperation, one must always – _at all costs_- keep it together. . . This was by far a step _too far_ - ridiculously inane – and - _absolutely perfect in every sense_. There were three things I could only be sure of. _One_: Vince was a defiance to all that was moral. _Two_: There was no telling how this would end. And _Three_: I was, as of the day, incomprehensibly in love with him.

As I made my way down the stairs, I could almost have expected the new face . . . His complexion was a ghostly pale. He wore a multicolored beanie over what looked to be a very light crop of brown that might've been confused as more of a caramel and a pair of sunglasses – _indoors_ – maybe five foot, Ten. There were oil smudges on the front of his white t-shirt and the jeans he wore were a light mangled blue. . . He stood suddenly from the couch when I bumped one of my legs accidentally against the railing of the stairs, turning my way.

"Uh . . . Hi . . . I'm Jesse", he first introduced himself, never moving, in an antsy kind of tone. I made my way, definitely precautious, over to stand across from him, along side the arm of the couch . . . "Juno", I returned in a low, just barely audible tone. He grinned unexpectedly then. "Guess you proved Dom wrong", he said. I swallowed as my nerves kicked in. "Proved Dom wrong about what?" A low huff came before he ran a hand over his head removing the beanie in the process and exposing the ruffled crop. "He said you'd probably be wasted by now." I frowned. "Shows how much he knows", I responded, hoping I sounded as unmoved as I thought I did.

There was a significant pause before he snapped his fingers abruptly. "I have to get to work . . . you're welcome to come watch if you want." I shrugged fighting uselessly against the shy smile that eventually pushed pass my defense to expose me. "Yeah – it's not like there's much else going on around here", I agreed, simply not so smooth.

It was a pearly white _Jetta _complimented with a dark gray rocket that left its trail of aqua flames sparking back at you along both sides of the vehicle . . . "This is my baby", he said so proudly, one hand already set on the door handle . And, it wasn't hard to tell this was his most priced possession likely no different than the heartfelt relationship between_ man and man's best friend_. I nodded. Pretending to be human came with such difficulty at times that it genuinely scared me. Physically I was human, but in essence, I possessed less humane social qualities than a vegetable, leading me to conclude that a majority of the time I was in fact no less different than one; Juno Melee, _The walking, Talking corpse_. The title fit divinely.

"So . . . you're racing tonight I take it?" An over enthused chortle came in response, "No way", he responded, confidence never lacking, "Just made some new modifications, planning on staying off the radar until race wars." He finally pulled open his door and in the same unlocked the passenger's side cracking the door and a newly bewildered me took a seat. After a savage reverse and peel, several seconds into the _not so joyful_ joy ride I finally had to ask . . . "Jesse . . . _what's race wars?_" And, I wondered in that instant, as he stared wide eyed, if I had unconsciously asked some other, more obnoxious question . . . "You're joking right?" "No . . . not really", I answered, apparently foolish.

. . .

It was a grand garage located in the most inconspicuous dead beat corner. Before we drove down the back of an alley the letters, _DT_, written in a bold, thin blue were noticeable at the top of the two story half egg shell, half coffee colored building. Inside it was a perfectly organized mess. Over stacked parts were stacked at every corner in what seemed to be strategically positioned piles. In the back there was the set of stairs that led to a closed off room. But the eye catcher was the falling apart vehicle smack down in the center of it all that looked like an aged clump of rust . . .

"Race wars goes down every year . . . its where all the real racers can throw down", Jesse went on as he moved ahead, circling pass the great ghost of the vehicle that maybe once might have been. I went after him. "So what's the point exactly?" "Win some, you lose some", he called back as he rummaged through a box of parts on top of an extended cement counter top. "But we go for the gold. Monkeys go there betting everything from their on cars to ridiculous loads of cash . . . one race, one shot, and Dom can take them all." I found myself nodding numbly again, arms folded in front of me . . . "And this is your first year?" "You got it", he confirmed just as he turned.

It was then that I stared back at the junked vehicle some feet from us . . . "What is it?" He gave an exhilarated sigh. "New project. It'll take us a couple weeks but once we do a rebuild she'll be good as new." It took a minute to allow his words to sink in. Maybe I was the only one that could see pass dreams and wishful, naïve thinking, but I just couldn't picture the rusty clump ever being anything more than scrap metal, despite my best efforts. "Come on, I have to get to work", he suddenly said shuffling pass me and in the next blink he was already on his way up the narrow steel stair steps.

I watched Jesse, who sat fully focused in front of the PC, leaned against the maple desktop. He'd been in this daze for what felt like forever. Every now and again mumbled words would come and irritated taps of his fingers against the wooden surface that sounded like off key drum rolls . . . I reached for the box of smokes I'd kept stored in the inside of my braw. "Is it okay if I light up?" He turned his head my way for the first time then. "Sure, sure", he responded in half mumbled words. In the same he reached for his own box he had previously shunned away to a left corner.

As he lit up, he rolled the office chair around, handing me a lighter before I could find my own . . . "I'm surprised", he said as he exhaled and a swirl of smoke traveled upwards in uncoordinated swirls before it dissolved as it reached the ceiling . . . "Vince has never been one to tie himself down." This new information made my cheeks go warm and I had to pause before taking another puff . . . "Maybe its just a temporary thing", I said feigning a mock tone. A low scoff left him then and he shook his head. "I doubt that . . . not after this long." "Has he never been with anyone?" I further inquired. He only chuckled, a flash of the past seeming to strike through his expression. "Oh no, never that . . . V's had his share and then some."

I stood stumped then, imagining all of the many possibilities that might have existed behind the statement . . . "Where is", I stopped myself . . . "Where are they now?" He shrugged, putting his cigarette out in the ashtray just behind him on the desk. "Shit if I know . . . Probably just running around." I knew then, if I was ever in need of any sort of comfort, confiding in Jesse would not be the best option . . . assuming I would ever confide in anyone to begin with, Vince included.

I leaned across him crushing the cigarette in the ashtray and quickly pulling back into my stiff pose . . . "Vince said you were a writer", he said at random, and in the same instant I could feel the air, hotter and suffocating. I let it leave first, worried my words would be an indistinguishable crackle otherwise . . . "How did you know that?" I asked when I could finally manage. "He told me so", he casually responded. I shook my head . . . "I'm not . . . I don't do that anymore", I disagreed weakly.

He flashed a weak smile. "That's too bad, it's always good to have something to fall back on . . . vent, you know." I huffed as I felt my insides squirm in response . . . "_So what do you fall back on?_" He sighed, while he rocked in a slow sway, back and forth in his seat. "There's just something about engines that calms me." There was this dazed look in his eyes then, like he was suddenly no longer here, and for a moment, I was hesitant to interrupt him . . .

It was a black leather booklet, half the size of a composition notebook, buried underneath the mess of clothes I'd packed . . . A part of me wanted to curse Vince for ever daring to violate such a privacy, but the other, _more logical_ side knew I didn't have it in me. The words of hate would remain captive, only in the back of my thoughts on occasion. Because cursing my love was a task that could never be completed despite all of the rest . . . I was brought back to the present when Jesse suddenly bolted out of his seat, bringing an arm up and glancing briefly at the wrist watch he wore. "I'm supposed to take you to Vince now." I nodded once. "So I was just a package . . . _Figures_."

He reached for the beanie he had shoved into the back pocket of his jeans, accommodating it over the caramel crop. "Not really", he disagreed. "I was kind of just supposed to wait to go and get you but . . . what can I say . . . it can get pretty boring around these parts sometimes." The confession came so simply in soft spoken words but all the same left an open array of contradictions and possible offenses. So comes into play _Rule Number Four_: Sometimes it really is better not to know . . . "I know the feeling", I forced the words. He shook his head, sighing as his hand went to the knob of the door behind him . . . "Not yet you don't . . . Just give it a couple trips."

. . .

In Theory, Jesse's definition of _Trips_ could vary greatly from my own. But there was never really the opportunity for the lay out of substantial options within the brief gap of time . . .

It was harder to breathe again. _Harder to remember the words I had specifically sorted for him_. My mind was a blank purposeless slate the instant I realized we were parked behind The Maxima.

"Guess This is where we part", Jesse half mumbled. He sighed . . . "There's the man." I laughed humorlessly. If only he knew how unnecessary his notification was. I had nearly stopped breathing seconds before hand, when I noticed the driver's side door of the Mazda come open . . . "Guess I'll see you", I managed in response. "It was nice meeting you." He gave a low chortle instant That my door was pulled open . . . "It was nice meeting you Too Juno." I never did look back at The Jetta, only listened to the sound of its straining engine as it faded.

He took my hand in his . . . "Didn't think you'd make it so soon. Jesse didn't wake you did he?" I could only manage a shake of my head as my attention strayed to the small crowd of strangers some feet behind us inside of _Toretto's Undersized Market_. Before I could thoroughly process the scene however, one of his hands cupped The side of my face. "There's nothing To worry about here", he murmured.

I swallowed . . . "It's just really weird seeing people here." And as common brain function finally kicked in I suddenly shoved his hand away . . . "You – you read my writings . . . _that was private_", I stressed, my Tone unconsciously escalating. He sighed before closing the distance between us with a single step . . . "Yeah, I did", he wearily replied. "I – we didn't know who you really were That night so I was looking Through your Things and I found a book", he sighed, "Then it got interesting and . . . I just thought it wouldn't hurt – I mean . . . _it was good shit_."

I Tried To find Those words again – The ones That I had rehearsed, line by line, over and over again in my head during The Ride over. But instead I found myself Thoughtless and Thrown . . . "Just", I began in a random Trail . . . "_Stay out of it_ . . . I don't like anyone reading my writings." In The same he Took my hand again. "I won't go Through your Things anymore . . . I'm sorry." In The same he pulled me closer . . . "Do you Trust me?" he suddenly asked. I scoffed. "In Theory - _maybe_." He gave a slow nod . . . "Guess That'll have To do."

If my Trust was once _in Theory_, Then - my _Theory_- had clearly been proven wrong as Ever . . .

Even blind folded in The passenger's seat, I could feel The vibrations That were from my perception The Maxima's senseless protest . . . "You're going over the speed limit", I stated numbly just after another breath cut short. I heard snickered words at first. "No I'm not", he casually disagreed. I gritted my teeth together in an attempt to maintain the little composure I had miraculously managed to hold on To . . . "You're lying." I could make out cool, collected laughter. "We're almost there", he only answered.

There was the sound of a decisive click . . . "Can I Take This stupid Thing off now?" I argued in irritated words. A sigh came from behind me, and I could feel His warm breath against the nape of my neck. "Cant you ever just relax Juno?" In the same I ripped the handkerchief away Throwing it aside and bolting around To face him. "_Cant you ever just be normal?_" I snapped.

And, as he Took The first step forward, I Took The first step back . . . It was a newer, much stranger room. The décor was all Too strategized, and The oval bed beside me was perfectly done up in a silver and white set. The art work That decorated The walls was as mediocre as They came These days and The floors were sparkling white Tiles with dark gray intersecting lines. The cleanliness was clearly evident against The bright cast of day light That lit up The luxurious suite . . .

"What is This?" He rolled his eyes, letting himself sit back on The edge of The oversized oval. "You know Letty said This would be romantic but I'm really starting To wonder now." My legs seem weaker at The finish of his words and I felt slightly light headed as The air left me . . . "_What The fuck do you mean romantic?_" I managed in a single blurt of words. He sighed. "Well . . . we never have been on an actual date." I huffed . . . "_I Think a Trip To burger king or something would have sufficed._"

He Extended a hand. I heaved a heavy, _mentally exhausted_ sigh, opting To ignore The gesture entirely, moving forward and accommodating myself on The edge – _on edge_ – beside him . . . Amidst The silence, it was difficult To even look at him . . . "So what'd you do . . . Tonight I mean", I forced myself To ask at random. He shrugged. "Psych Them all out, keep The attention off Dom mostly." I nodded. "So are you gonna win?" He laughed, The sound an echo in The grand room. "Could if I wanted To, but I like To leave all The show boating To Dom . . . somebody's Gotta be The center of attention." I Took a slow breath, edging closer until I felt my leg brush against his before Turning To face him . . . "_So why not you?_"

He leaned in closer, bringing a hand up, and I could feel his finger Tips as They ran over my collar bone continuing To Trace up The side of my neck . . . "It's not really my style", he replied in The low rasp That seemed always able To deter me but was never willing enough. I felt suddenly dehydrated as my mouth went dry and I had To push myself To swallow down The lump That had formed in The pit of my Throat . . . "So . . . _what is?_"

Only a low huff came at first . . . "I like to stick to the backdrop." His fingertips were traveling again seeming to move in aimless swirls on an undetermined path until I felt him suddenly grope onto my right hip. "I did miss you Today", he said in half mumbled words. I sighed, reclining slightly onto his forearm . . . "I never really got The chance To miss you." He nodded, his gaze still never falling before he abruptly brought me down with him onto my back, his arm remaining curled around my waist . . . "_I think I covered it for the two of us anyhow_."

. . .

"_Baby_ . . . _we have To go_", I could vaguely Tune in To The faint whispered words as I opened my eyes To The sight of a new, crisp yellow moon . . . I sat up, trying my best to grasp onto any form of awakening as my feet hit the cool tile. He kneeled down cupping my face in his hands . . . "I brought you a change of clothes. Why don't you shower", In the same he reached into his pocket and returned with two circular white chalky capsules that he held in his palm, "You can take these . . . they might help", he chuckled, "Hopefully anyways." I sighed . . . "What is it?" He came up just close enough to press his lips to mine and it felt like the roughest velvet. It was only when he pulled away that I managed to look down again at the capsules as he slip them into one of my hands . . . "It'll help . . . _just trust me_."

One hot shower, a change of Attire, and two unnamed prescription pills can _help_ allot . . . _if you're looking to eliminate all forms of rationality and a commonly very persistent subconscious_ . . .

My resistance against the inevitable melt down would have likely maxed out as soon as we were traveling somewhere above seventy through downtown Los Angeles. But the dose I'd chosen to take down with no questions asked had altered the entirety of what was my initial person . . . "Stay with Letty while we're gone, you hear . . .don't stray", he said, his words a significant warning, just as we pulled into an ample lot overshadowed by a set of vacant parking garages.

But my attention was already centered on the large crowd that meshed together into one big mess of rebuilt cars, clutters of women that looked like they belonged on a strip and music that seemed to pound against my eardrums in the end sounding like just more noise on top of noise. . . "_And this is why you decided to dose me up, huh?_" He sighed as the car came To a sudden stop in the center of The social parade. "Did you hear anything I said – _I'm serious J_." Before I could think up another unfitting response however, my door was suddenly open wide.

And on this night, I apparently was not the only person who was out of character. . . Letty was dressed in form fitting black leather pants and a matching spaghetti strap tank with a pair of oddly fashionable leather buckle boots . . . "She'll be fine. You're so over dramatic lately", she spoke the words clearly not intended for me. In the same she pulled me up out of the Mazda, slamming the door shut. The window came down in a smooth roll Then and he leaned over the center console looking highly irritated . . . "I'll see you when I get back." I nodded, "Cool, cool." Letty abruptly gave a knock on The Mazda's roof Top. "Hello, Dom's waiting for you, _bye Vince_." For a moment, judging by The look on his face, I thought he would explode before The vehicle suddenly went forward with a single agitated rev.

Up ahead I could vaguely make out Dom surrounded by a crowd of what looked like wishful pursuers in over their heads . . . "He's always caught up", Letty interrupted the series of scattered thoughts that were only just commencing. I looked over at her. "It's only for a little while . . . right." "Yeah, The while of my lifetime", she corrected. In that instant I could feel a warming sensation as it ran through me and seemed to entrap me. A low chortle suddenly left her. "_He really gave you some of his narcs?_" "Um . . ._ yeah_", I admitted when I found my mind was now only a still blank.

She shook her head, looking ahead To where The Mazda Was now at a stand still, Vince leaned against the hood of a red Mazda Rx7 beside Dom. "I swear they just get stupider and stupider", she grumbled clearly a new realization all of her own . . . "That's Dom's car", I searched for The confirmation, again distracted. She nodded, her own attention appearing To stray before she pulled me by my elbow To her side pointing To a flock of women just amidst the group of several men. "_And those are Dom's dick riders_." She scoffed. "Come on let's get out of here before I lose my patience."

I couldn't come to terms with the logic of traveling to and through the pack of noise just to in the end hop back into Letty's car and once again disperse trailing behind other bystanders and the distinguished herd of racers that had long before lets us to saunter after their dust. . . "Um. . . Just out of curiosity", I did away with The silence of the evidently _Silent _ride, "What was the point of that again?"

A low giggle came in response. It sounded like the pitched dinging of wind chimes. "Has To be done so we all know who's holding on to what where and . . . you know the whole formality I guess", she explained, sounding unsure of herself, as if no one else but me had ever thought to ask this very non-complex question. I nodded, numb in the warmth and distracted by the streaks of different colored lights that flashed in sequence from outside like some sort of coordinated _uncoordinated_ street show . . . "Street racers have formalities", I spoke the words more so to myself wondering if - at some point - I would ever be able to take this new found fact even mildly serious.

She sighed as she ran a hand idly through the mess of Thick, wavy curls . . . "Formalities are a given no matter what J . . . _it can be really unfortunate at times_." In the same end of her words there was a sharp slant and swerve and In the next instant we were stopped along The curbside of a main strip solely occupied by The school of followers and The set of vehicles that were in a perfect alignment only a reasonable distance away from The buzzing crowd. . . "Stick with me, ok." I could just barely manage The numb nod I gave in response.

. . .

It Took certain maneuver To keep up with Letty as she would shove pass one rowdy specter and then another, but eventually I found myself at front and center half cringing into Letty's side. In the same she brought a hand over my head and ran a hand Through The Thin crop . . . "Calm as a scene kid."

In This particular case however, it was hard to be _calm as a scene_ when the _scene_ around me was The ultimate opposition in protest against her every word. "There's your animal", she said, gesturing with a jerk of her head ahead, and I found myself following her gaze until I caught sight of the Maxima. To anyone else it was likely as invisible as the other vehicles seat aside from it were To me. To them he was, as he would prefer, easily blended into The background. I exhaled, freeing another shallow breath.

It was so childish, me feeling This way just at The sight of him or – _his Motor vehicle._ Entirely ridiculous that my mind was off now, marveling at the thought of earlier on Today when he had Taken me again - so slowly – and yet Too abrupt. So much so that the Moment had felt like only a single instant, no longer Than a Photo flash or The blink of an eye. I was working To remember now, Trying To bring it all Together again and Then cling To every detail for as long as was possible before Letty's sudden howl forced me back To The Present.

"It's only the ones that can't handle it", she explained, as if she'd caught on To my very confused and unsettled state of mind. "What?" I asked, hopelessly lost. "The sore losers, They can't take the beat downs." I only nodded. Perhaps at times it is truly better not to know and not to wonder. If you only live in a single moment then nothing else ever has to matter. Not until the time comes anyway.

A graceful, vixen strode along what was in this place the point of no return: _The starting line. _She was a model of your typical back alley trash bag and, all in the same, a mirror of the finest eye candy that ever graced your presence, plainly dressed in a white spaghetti strap, shorts that shrunk at mid Thigh, and a pair of golden stiletto heels.

When she came to a stand still at a center point She tossed the golden locks that hung over her shoulder back . . .A single hand came To count above her head and her fingers, even from The far distance where I stood, seemed to tremble in The action. In the same Letty sighed, before I felt her fingers curl on the top of my right shoulder. And so began a Count Down . . . _5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1_

There was a sudden kick To life, And as The Maxima went - another part of The synchronized pack - I had To breathe . . . breathe a rapid, dragging breath in order To properly process The flash of Bright white, enhanced _LED_ Lights . . . before They were only a product of question. Before I wondered, _had I ever seen? Were they ever?_

And – it was only after a certain Time of slow, progressive Thoughts – That I managed to return, once again, To what was now _This present_. . . Letty appeared unusually exhilarated. She seemed To be – inevitably – hanging on edge . . . "How long before They get back?" I inquired, My Tone almost desperate, and a part of me feeling like only a complete nuisance amidst The ambitious crowd for interrupting what seemed to be a key moment To her.

She looked down at me, and her expression was so obviously smug – _So undoubtedly sure_- it only confirmed The fact To my unfit self ; _Yes, I was The Outsider here_. . . "Just give it a few", she answered, amusement in her words and also in The half grin she flashed me for The briefest instant . . .

But a minute could vary, and instances meant nothing here - _on This night_. It's always hard to process The meaning of patience when you are Truly hanging on edge. You can count away minutes in seconds and seconds are only that which makes your hours all the more painful. So - _in my Teeny, Tiny, boggled mind_ – There never was a set Time That passed before There finally was The flash of smeared red accompanied by The sound of a roar that seemed To zip directly Through one ear and shoot straight out of The other causing my eardrums To let off weak Throbs.

"What'd I Tell you", Letty Enthused, now far more livid beside me. "_Pay Up fuckers!_" And it was then that the royal blue came into sight. The menacing shark came at full speed, intent to charge as it swerved into The right shoulder just alongside The curb where we stood. "_Holy Fucking shit – what's he doing?_" Letty suddenly exclaimed, no longer enthused, no longer so smug, no longer as cool and collected – _as comforting_ – as she had been only seconds before hand as the streak of blurred, _hopelessly out of control silver_ brushed against the curbside.

There came The sound of steel as it had To have shattered before Letty pulled me back by one arm with her as far back as was possible before I felt my back make contact with whichever panicked yelper stood with the rest behind us. And - with The more ample view – I noticed The new addition. It had most likely been There The Entire Time, shielded by my own blind sighted anxiety attack; what looked To be an older, Lime green Eclipse model that was right at The Maxima's Tail. And – if you had so much as blinked in That instant – you would have missed The Maxima as it first Turned over after The initial impact of collision . . . I counted every single roll, _one crumble after another_ . . .

I had never even noticed how Tightly wrenched Letty's fingers were around The sleeve of my black sweatshirt. Nor did I have any memory of ever locking her own arm in an intertwined vice grip with my own. When The Mazda finally came To a stand still inches from Dom's RX7 That had maybe only been saved because of The unexpected drift he had pulled across The finish line, The air was caught again, and slowly Suffocation laid its heavy Toll over me. . . "Stay here", Letty murmured The rushed words before she freed herself. "_Don't move!_", she called over her shoulder as she made her way out onto The roadway and - from a distance, amidst my own blurred vision - I could suddenly make out Dom who seemed To have appeared from The air That was Too Thin around us, crouched beside The driver's side of The overturned Maxima.

In The spur of an instant, I caught a glimpse of This life I was never supposed To have. One That was The most unfitting. A side . . . _a piece of me missing_ That I didn't even have yet . . . _"I've got this funny feeling"_ , I remembered The words from That first night . . . A hidden message . . . _A phenomenal Coincidence? _I'd like To believe so. That This was all coincidental. That This night had not been somehow set in stone but The contradiction was There – _only feet away_- The point blank display . . .

"_No, No, No – J get up_", The words urged. But I could only physically react at The moment when I felt a set of arms come over me. I rose from my knees feebly Turning mechanically To see Mia, whose expression seemed only weary of my own . . . I couldn't remember ever dropping . . . couldn't remember any members of the crowd that were now disbursing all around me in different directions . . . Mia suddenly held my shoulders, and while I could barely feel her actual Touch I knew This Token of evident concern was The only Thing supporting me now. And in another flash of Time I found myself half Turned so That I was facing The display again which was - To my own astonishment - Much different now . . .

Vince was leaned back against The RX7, easily able To – unlike myself – hold his own on both feet, one hand over his left shoulder just at his collar bone, _protecting_ . . . "_Holy hell J_", Mia came into hearing again, "Talk about automatically Jumping To The worse case scenario." The breath I had kept Trap for what was The longest duration of my entire life was finally freed and The air as it left me was almost relieving . . . "I . . . I'm sorry", I managed The plain words in a faint Mumble. It was Then That her hold vanished and she stepped To stand aside from me with a quirked eyebrow and an expression That showed just how entertained she was now. "Don't be", she said, her words an assurance. "Happens To The best of us", she heaved a sigh That sounded in its own way entirely exasperated . . . "Come on. Lets go see The mess I have To fix." It was only Then That I looked over at her. "You. Why you?" She rolled her eyes. "Haven't you noticed by now, it's all I ever do with These buffoons . . . _That and nursing_." I looked after her for an extended second as she began To walk before following after her.

. . .

**Ok guys, My sincerest apologies for The grand delay. Depression Sometimes Tends To cripple my mind causing The inevitable Writer's block after a certain Point which is a major bummer **

**Well That's all done and over and I am back now with This fifth Chapter That I have been breraking my mind To finish for you guys . . . once again I cannot express how much The support of my faithful readers means To me so I hope you will forgive and forget *_* … and I cant stress enough: REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW PLEASE -_- . . . Chapter 6 is already in The works BTW *_***


	6. COLLIDE

**COLLIDE**

"You should've peeled To The right genius", Mia critiqued as she ran The Tips of her fingers over his deformed shoulder. He grunted, flinching away The moment she applied The smallest pressure with her Thumb. _"Jesus fucking Christ Mia!" _he exclaimed. Mia sighed, shaking her head . . . "Looks like I'll have To set The bone back", she confirmed, but The words were more reserved, only for her at The moment. "Won't be Too comfortable so you better brace yourself", she added, and I would swear There was a certain undisclosed pleasure in The statement.

Vince only huffed in response. It was only Then That I let my anxious gaze revert To him. His own focus was far from me, however. His piercing gaze was more insistent Than I'd ever seen it before - _intent_- locked ahead . . . "Who is he?" he asked at random. Dom was aside from him now, his attention also fixed. His arms appeared Too rigid at his side and both of his hands were balled into Tight fists . . . "I don't know . . . guess we're about To find out." Letty suddenly shifted past me To stand in his way. "_Dom come on just let This go_", she stressed, her Tone almost pleading. This, if anything, was The frightening factor. While I hadn't been around long enough To cockily assume I knew all of These out of place individuals from The inside out, it was none The less unsettling To see Letty in This way. Worried - _hesitating_ - _so desperate To avoid The confrontation That Dom was sure To make inevitable_. . .

And so, I had To Turn away from my crippled savior To search for the unfortunate soul That had Dared, even if unintentionally, To cross Dominic Toretto's Domain . . . And There it was - still in a much farer condition Than The brutalized Maxima. The bright lime Eclipse That stuck out, surrounded by all of The watchers That still remained in a significantly down sized, but all The more frenzied crowd, like a Lamb That had stumbled obliviously along into The wolves den. And - There he was: _The invader_. . . His hair was a curly crop of Tussled Dirty Gold and as he stepped from behind The driver's side door where he had been frozen for what seemed like Too long a duration, his figure became clear Through The cloud of ashy gray That emitted from The hood of The Eclipse.

Yes. It was safe To assume That This invader could pass for a walking Talking Hollister ad. He was a little over six feet Tall at least, casually dressed in a navy green T-shirt and faded blue jeans, and - with every move he made as he began his strode over - There were The flawless cuts in muscles That showed just how well kept his physique was . . . all while sporting a five o clock shadow, _of course_. . . "Wait here", The impatience in Dom's Tone cut my analysis To an end and I Turned To find a very disgruntled Letty, now with her arms folded over her chest before she moved aside, clearing The way. "You're blowing Things Out of proportion like always", she said, The words irritable and bitter, and a warning all in The same.

Before any room could be made for Further argument from Either side however There came The invader, coming To a halt just at an arm's distance and in the same instant I felt a feeble Tug at The hem of my sweatshirt. Vince brought me back against his right side. Mia seemed more so preoccupied now as she moved away from us, straying a few steps away To stand parallel To Dom, at his left.

"Not a word, you hear", Vince spoke into my ear. And, it dawned on me in That moment That This was in fact The first Time he had addressed me directly for what felt like Too long a period. It also dawned on me That my heart had gone from slow, unsteady beats To rapid Thuds I could feel pounding abnormally against my chest . . . "Do you know where you are?" The question coming from Dom, even in The subtle Tone it was disguised in, sounded like The coldest chill That could cut Through a sea of flames . . . _Assuming his dominant presence could also somehow counteract basic laws of physics_.

But The lamb showed no form of remorse. He only chuckled running a hand Through The Mess of gold. He glanced over his shoulder once, almost as Though he were double checking The scene That still remained behind him for confirmation, and Then shook his head . . . "_Dude, I almost had you._" And at The finish of The words, something in me sank deep down somewhere for him. I expected The very worse, Images of The lamb down and disabled came in a swarm of flashes That varied greatly in detail but all appeared at Their least excruciating.

Then, a sudden rumble of laughter came in response from Dom; it caused my insides To Twist and Tighten . . . _"You almost had me?"_ The question came so serene it only made it even more so Terrifying. In The same, I could feel Vince as he straightened out of his lenient pose behind me. "Back away slowly", he whispered The order in a soft rasp. It was Then That I wrenched my fingers around his wrist, holding his arm against my stomach. . . "I'm not going anywhere", I managed. He sighed . . . "You never had your car", Dom's Tone broke again Through our own personal Altercation in The works . . . "Take her home . . . _now Mia_", I caught my savior's request, The demand clear in his words, his Tone, his entire demeanor now as he forced my hold on him To loosen and release.

Mia rolled her eyes, pursing her lips Together in a Tight line. _When had she come To stand before us? _"No - Vince I don't want To go", I stressed in response. He Turned me Then, so I Was hopelessly Trapped again in The pale blues That could render me incapable of any sensible Thought process. "Just listen To me for once . . . I'll meet you in a few minutes." I huffed, "A . . . _A few minutes my ass we're in buck fuck Shitsville To begin with!_" Following my protest There came a roar That rumbled Throughout The crowd several yards off and Letty suddenly came To intercede. "J just go", she emphasized. She shook her head as she glanced over at my crippled, _stubborn_ savior. "This crippled, hardheaded fuck won't be able To stick around much longer anyways."

I don't know how I was ever actually able To force myself To look away from him. But, staring back, and forth, and back again from Letty To Mia in The end somehow made my wall of reluctance fall away until I found myself moving, one numb leg after the other, side by side along with Mia.

. . .

Whoever said Patience is a virtue_ was Too patient_.

I was watching, waiting . . . In a higher state of panic with every second That Ticked and Trailed slowly off and away with The rest. I watched as Mia Laid out an array of medical aids out on her dresser. From a corner, in The vanity mirror, I could see The ghost That reflected back at me sitting on The edge of her bed. Mocking -_ reminding me_. Because The one fact That would never change was That I would always be This; _a reflection of a human_. Only an apparition of The living . . . "_What on Earth are you so focused on over There?_" Mia had an eyebrow raised curiously, smiling a crooked, worn smile . . . "Just wondering what you're gonna do with all That", I lied. Honesty has never been The best policy for me. Not with other humans anyway. She Turned To face me letting herself sit back onto The Dresser.

"It's just in case I missed anything . . . open cuts, wounds", she casually replied, sighing in The same . . . "They'll be The death of me you know." I could only manage a nod in response . . . "He's should've just let me stay", I grumbled under a breath. She shook her head. "You forget To remember quite often, don't you?" "I haven't forgotten anything", I quickly countered. She scoffed. "_You mean besides The fact That you are a fifteen year old orphan now illegally residing in a house packed with Ex-cons and Street Racers_." Before I could rebound with another easily debatable come back, There were Two short raps That came from The door. She made a face at me before reaching for The door knob, only an arm's length away, and pulling The door open. And There he was again; _The ghost of yesterday_.

Jesse Entered slowly, almost reluctantly, That peculiar shy grin betraying him again. "Hey Mia", he First greeted before his attention simultaneously strayed in my direction. "_Juno_." Considering The fact That I would never attempt To decipher This possible issue out loud with anyone, I supposed I would never Truly be able To figure out whether or not The way The pale, Thin, ghost of a boy spoke my name sounded as odd As I myself felt like it did. It Tended To sound like a certain kind of relief, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable but for The most part just humored at The Thought of it. If in fact Jesse did feel any form of relief at The sight or The mention of me, Then clearly he had yet To experience all That waited behind Juno Melee.

"Dude Mia, you had To see it", he went on now. "Cops swarmed The place out of nowhere." Then and There Mia slid off of the dresser onto her feet. "_Where's Dom?_" I could almost feel my eyes, nearly bulging out of Their sockets. Jesse shook his head, adjusting his sunglasses up on The Top of his head. "Everyone just split. I mean - you would swear The shit was orchestrated", he further explained, and with The escalation of his Tone, The frustration within him was audible.

Mia suddenly slammed a hand against the vanity mirror and I jumped To my feet. "Fucking great!" she exclaimed with all of her new evolving fury, "Now what are we going To do?" Jesse suddenly grasped onto both of her shoulders forcing her To remain at par with him . . . "Jesus Christ Mia . . . calm down. The others are on Their way already and I'm sure Dom made it out clean", he huffed . . . "He does This for a living remember." But she only shook her head, bringing a hand up To her forehead. She was sick now. _Visibly sick_. This was easily distinguishable; her exact Thoughts - _her feeling_ . . . because I knew it all Too well myself . . . "I'm going downstairs . . . get Things ready", she replied, her Tone an echo of what it should have been. Jessie's hands fell away, releasing her and she Turned To me. "He's um . . . _he's fine J_ . . . just wait here for now, um . . . _please_." "Cool, cool", I managed my weakest reply as she Turned and went, leaving me and The Ghost of yesterday To ourselves.

We had remained in a silence That was like no other for The longest. It wasn't even awkward. It was just . . . _fitting_. Yes - That was it. In This moment we had reached a mutual understanding. We both understood what we both needed. _Silence_ . . . _Emptiness_. . . The smallest _piece of mind_ . . .

"So how is it over here . . ._ you and Vince?_" The question came, shocking me back To life. Up until That moment I had been slowly withering away in my own procrastinations. The fog had been consuming me and my vision had begun To blur slightly; A sign That I had been left alone with my fucked mind and its burdening Torments for Too long . . . "It's good", I managed as I found my own voice again . . . "We're um - _good._" He nodded, beginning To move in uncoordinated steps, closer, away from The open doorway . . . "Guess That's good Then . . . as long as you're happy, right?" I swallowed. "Right", I confirmed.

I noticed how much closer he was getting and strayed a few steps backwards myself, Towards The corner Window. And sure enough - just as I had worried - he followed along. When I was forced To face him as he leaned against The wall, with not more Than four feet of distance between us, I could feel a flash of Heat come up my spine That made it all The way up To The nape of my neck . . . "So . . . what about you?" I forced The question. One of The many negatives of Being out of Touch with The human race is That simple actions like striking up basic small Talk is all Together a chore. Your heart will never Take To it, so all you can do is force yourself - _use every bit of energy To push yourself_- just To get it done and over with, as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

"I'm pretty solid", he casually chimed back. "Shit here, Shit There, shit's everywhere, but I'm Taking it day by day." And There it was. I had finally found The link That held us Together so well. That which made me and The ghost able To co-exist in a solid union . . . He was clearly just as damaged as I was. This was evident in his whole demeanor. In The way he moved and The way he spoke. There was no Telling what sequence of events had broken him, permanently altered him into one of my kind - _one of our kind_ - but There was also no need To inquire any further pass The point of This realization. _Curiosity killed The cat_; That is why our kind had developed a Tendency To shun The Habit.

"Head first into The wall", I agreed in Return, "best way To go when There is nowhere To go." What sounded like a forced chuck came in response. And, at That moment, There was a single Thud against The door. We both seemed To reflexively revert in The same . . . I released a low sigh of relief . . . "Hey", I managed, my Tone crackling at its end. But he never responded. Instead he came forward and, as I waited, expecting my savior To come To me, he stopped just at The foot of Mia's bed . . . "You should maybe get down There . . . Dom brought back That half pint ball bouncer with him", he spoke only To Jessie, who was quick To make his distance. He glanced back over his shoulder as he moved around Vince. "See you around Juno." I Could only nod in response. And, as I watched The ghost make his Exit, I knew it well . . . _Nothing was alright_.

Maybe it was just The discomfort in me, but The pale blues had significantly altered now from The calming sea That lured To a murky span of dark marshes.

"What was he doing here?" He finally asked after a long, secluded gap of Nothing. I shrugged, only as a senseless attempt To shoo away This feeling . . . "Mia and I were waiting. He showed up To let her know what was going on." For a moment only more of The empty silence dragged after my words. Then, finally, he did come forward. He moved past me To lean against The wall, bringing one stiff arm up over his left shoulder and closing his eyes as he rested his head . . . "_And he stayed because . . ._" And I believe That's when The room became Too warm.

I searched for The words at first, because actually acknowledging where The skeptic's question lead was simply out of The question. It was only when I felt my insides shudder That I managed The first response That came, willing, and ready To be heard . . . "_Fuck you_." He Took in what was The calmest, deepest breath before his eyes came open again, and The marshes of a solid darkness fell on me . . . "I'm a little bent out of shape at The moment honey but if you just give me a few hours maybe we can make it work." I huffed in response before Turning away. But before I was even able To physically handle The first step, he had me by The elbow, in just a firm enough grip To keep me locked in place. In The same instant I reflexively Turned on him ready To unleash The worst of my unspoken wrath only To be Trapped again, This Time in The lightened blues That unexpectedly did away with The spur of heat.

"Just relax J . . . I'm sorry. It's just I know he" – "Yes – _he likes me_", I cut him short, my patience remaining at its minimum, "_And I love you Vince!_" I shoved at his hand until I was free again. He sighed. "J it's . . . it's not you I don't Trust – it's him", he stressed in a low rasp. "I mean", he continued on The rant That now was, "I come in here and see you and him - _close enough To feel each Other's fucking breaths, but I'm not supposed To assume The worst?_" "No!" I snapped back. "You're supposed To Trust me Vince . . . you're supposed To know", The last words came, weak and useless if anything. . . This is The part where all of Those Natural human qualities should easily fall into effect. This is The part where I don't stand a chance at any form of a life.

_I should know_. I should be able To feel him in This instant but I can't, and – no different Than all of The previous instances- The words just won't come. So I am The motionless mute again; Watching, waiting, _limited _. . . He gave a humorless chuck. "Sweetheart you couldn't begin to understand the dynamics of a real relationship. There's shit that you just don't do – _shit that you can't do_." I scoffed. "Well I'm sorry I couldn't live up To your Expected standards Vince." "J I - ", he had begun before suddenly Turning away from me and sauntering off a few steps . . . "_Just go_." I had to blink just So The room Would clear up. So many words, but They would never come now. "_You . . . you want me to leave?_" I finally forced. The Statement was necessary solely for The sake of sealing The Confirmation. "We'll Talk Later", he replied, So Confident, _So Automatic_, I would swear he was Determined in The same instant To suck away The air supply I had made sure To save and Maintain, specifically for This Moment I always knew would come, Much Too soon and with an agonizing vengeance. There wasn't Much Time Left . . . The Movements That came Next were strictly a set of memorized mechanical actions. When I was just at The doorway I had To work for The will power . . . "_When you finally get The stick out of your ass Don't come looking for me._"

. . .

I had remained at The Top of The stairway for some seconds, cornered in This decision. Option A: _walk down To where There was apparently some sort of a get Together and – apparently - The invader as well, which would mean having To pass Through, which would inevitably lead To another session of forced false socializing_. Option B: _Stand here for an undetermined period with The hopes That The savior who had dismissed me would Not come out To find me – Literally Stumped - at The fork in This road_. Decisions, decisions . . . can't They ever work Themselves out?

I was relieved To find The living room free of The social hazards. The group of whoevers must have been further off. And Then it happened. The front door came open just as my palm first made contact with The nob and it seemed as Though The entire flock had intentionally come ready To detain and degrade . . . "Oh, perfect", Mia immediately pounced. The aura of peace and happiness That emitted from her presence was intoxicating; obviously Dom, who moved around The Two of us with The Poster boy invader at his Tail, was The prime Contributor To her mood swing. "_J you can help me with Vince_", she concluded. "Well . . . where's Letty?" I inquired. "I Think her and Jessie went on another run To The store. _Wait – why?_" _Ding, ding, ding_. And she finally catches on.

I swallowed, feeling The Heat as it crept slowly up and over again. "No reason. I was just . . . didn't see her", I awkwardly replied. My mind had already reconverted back To The Thoughtless blank. "Ok", she Thoughtlessly Retorted. "Come on you can hold him still for me." _I can?_

"Mia Wait", I finally objected just as she readied To head up The stairway To oblivion. She half Turned so her Torso was still angled in The opposite direction. "What is it?" I heaved a slow, hard breath, Tilting my head back so I was staring up at The ceiling. After a long moment alone up There with The specks That sparkled back at me now, I forced myself To face her again . . . "He . . . doesn't wanna see me now . . . _I Think_." Her expression Twisted with The mild confusion and she shot a glance up The stairs first before redirecting herself To me. "What The fuck is his problem now?" I Shrugged and her expression altered again like she herself was now personally offended. "Look", she came back after going idle for a short Time.  
>"Don't pay him any mind. Whatever The fuck his Little issue is, he'll get over it if he doesn't want To ride himself down To The <em>ER<em>." I nodded. "So – just so I'm clear . . . _There's no room for arguing, huh?_" She pulled me by my sleeve, forcing me up To The First step. "_None_", she confirmed with a condemning glare.

. . .

I'd second guessed it all just shy of The doorway but The next Thing I knew Mia had shoved me in against my beckoning will. I did my best To avoid him, remaining at The bed side with my arms folded in front of me, waiting To be called on – _by either one of The Two_ . . .

"Ok I need you To sit up straight", Mia instructed him, and with a wince he adjusted his posture slightly leaning onto his right side. I could make out The low sigh That left him Then. "Ok, you, come here", she said. The Beats That could hammer Through my chest and Then The walls kicked up another Notch in response and I hesitated before her jaw line appeared To Tighten, and I forced myself To come forward, each and every step weighing me down significantly . . . She moved me around him To his left side until we were facing his back and she brought one of my hands up, pressing my palm into his left shoulder blade. "Keep That There for me." "Yeah", I replied in a mumble. She looked up at me and rolled her eyes making a face at him That he - judging by The pained expression he had on – would have never noticed at The Time. "Here we go", she announced as she straightened out of her hunch.

I peered slightly over, watching as she adjusted his right hand To hold his left wrist . . . "Don't move on me . . . please", she murmured The last part. He nodded, Turning his head To look away from her . . . "Just make it quick", he responded in a low slur of words That no one else would have ever heard had They been in The room. She grabbed on To The muscle of his upper arm. "Be still", she reminded him, "Take a deep breath for me and on one I want you To let it go." He nodded again and she sighed shutting her eyes for a brief instant . . . "And Three . . . Two", and – Catching The Two of us off guard – at Mid countdown - she jerked his arm up and inwards. He'd let out an irritated growl before releasing The fist full of bed sheets he had clutched onto as soon as she released him, Taking a Step back. "There It is", she confirmed with Certain pride. "Move it a Little for me."

"Nice", he responded in a displeased Tone. "Oh Stop Bitching, it's over already", she chided back unfazed. He Timidly moved his left arm, and with The movement I realized my palm had never left it's his backside. With The realization I quickly stepped away and moved away back around To my corner of seclusion . . . "Yup That's perfect", Mia spoke To herself This Time. "If you want I can Get you a bar, ice it Tonight and you should be good as new again after another day or Two." He sighed. "Yeah I'll Take it . . . Thanks Mia."

She rolled her eyes giving him a Thumbs up as she moved away. I was about To proceed after her when she did it. "I'll be right back love birds. Gonna go get The bar." A part of me Truly desired To just bolt out of The room anyways. But Then The other, more logical part reminded me That what was holding me here was not even Mia but solely The fact That I could barely Breathe as it was, let alone make any form of a physical Effort without some kind of Instruction. So I could only focus on holding my own. My own body weight, demeanor . . . sanity.

I'd counted off The longest minute just To keep my Clutter of a mind busy before . . . "I didn't Mean it", his voice came in The form of an echo as it broke Through and disrupted my second Minute and counting, like The whisper of an angel . . . I swallowed, grounding my Teeth Together To ready myself. "That's awesome", I Returned with my Blandest response. I definitely planned To keep whatever was left of This conversation at The bare minimum, At least from my end. I wouldn't let him pull me back and never would I bow – _would I even consider a single one of his words_.

"I was just in a bad mood. Dom and I got into it over That fucking scrawny Little prick and Then I get here and I saw you and Jessie all . . . like That . . ." I nodded, refusing To look at him. "That's great. _Hope Dom will forgive you._" He Stood Then and, To my own Perfectly played façade's dismay, came To stand before me. He sighed . . . "We got over it. But I never really cared much . . . But I do care about you . . . about us." He brought a hand up but I Took a senseless step backwards, Turning away from him . . . "Well if That's all Then you better go get your bar." "Mia's bringing It. I can wait."

I could feel It now; _The pull_. The pull That prodded and Threatened. Threatened To do away with This childish act. Threatened – _ordered _– for me To Turn and go before It Took matters into its own hands. And, just as I was weighing out The options That had me cornered, a set of arms curled around my waist and I reflexively Turned . . . "J please . . . I'll beg if I have To." A low huff left me as I released a breath . . . "You're The one That wanted me To leave remember", I somehow managed. "You got what you wanted Vince." He pulled me closer Into him. "That's not what I wanted", he spoke The words in a faint whisper . . . "All I want is you . . . anytime I say otherwise I'm full of fucking Shit."

I was paralyzed. And The pull was pushing now – _insisting with all of its overwhelming force_ . . . "So Then you will say otherwise again?" The question came half mumbled, as The pull Twisted my insides. He huffed and I could feel his cool breath against my lips. "Only if I'm ever stupid enough", he sighed, "J just . . . stay here with me . . . I can't just keep it going anymore . . . I can't just act like it never happened . . ." He pressed his lips To mine. They were just cool enough, like a velvet ice, and I could feel The air again as It circulated. All it Took The Pull from There on was just its final will To seal off The rest . . .

And it was The Subtle knock That broke us apart. Mia placed a couple of yellow bars on The dresser; only half of her was Through The doorway. "Don't let me interrupt", she perkily assured. "Just keep it off of my bed please." Before Either one of us could manage a response she was gone, and The sound of Footsteps fading was all That could be heard After her. Not long afterwards a sudden blast of music coming from downstairs Shattered The silence Entirely.

He sighed . . . "Fucking great." It was Then That I pulled away . . . "You guys . . . do This allot?" "Only after The races", he called back over his shoulder as he went To The dresser, picked up a couple of bars and popped Them casually into his Mouth. I winced as I watched at The new information. "_Great_", I added dryly. "It's The perfect Nightmare." He raised an eyebrow. "Babe if you want a nightmare it's downstairs." "No duh", I agreed but he shook his head. "I'm not Talking about The party, I'm Talking about Dom's new house guest." He chucked, The sound dead and humorless. "Can't wait To see This mess unfold."

When it came To This detail I had To bite. "_Wait, you mean That guy is gonna be living here now?_" As he reached my side again, he gave a heavy sigh . . . "When The cops came swarming everyone dipped out of sight - Dom did Too . . . but I guess shit got fucked up. The kid scooped him up and brought him back." He Took my hand In his. "And now . . . guess we'll see how long he lasts_._" He ran a hand Through The ruffled crop on his head That appeared just as unsettled as he did. "Let's just go To The room . . . I don't want you down There Tonight." I sighed. "_That makes Two of us Then_."

A decisive click as he shut The door behind us was relieving. _No social mishaps Tonight_. With another kind of click That followed The room came alive in a Burst of blue. Vince grabbed me from behind moving me along with him until we reached The foot of The bed where he guided me Onto my back before he shifted over To lay beside me.

You could hear The vibrations That coursed around The walls of The room from Time To Time, courtesy of The obnoxious bash That was still in progress downstairs. I Turned on To my side so I was facing him and brought my fingertips To Trace over his repaired shoulder. "Does It hurt?" I asked. "I'm on Two and a half bars right now honey. _Nothing hurts_." I bit my bottom lip anxiously at The confirmation and - before I could second guess myself - I Mounted myself on Top of him. I adjusted myself and leaned my face closer To his . . . "_Nothing?_"

"_Just like That_", he breathed The words as I grinded against him. There was no Telling how long we had been going But as he suddenly Bolted up and shifted us both so I wound up on my backside supported by a huddle of pillows, I was Truly amazed by my savior's drive. He was pounding Into me, rocking my insides, Thrusting in and out of me with all of his determination. Such ecstasy I forgot To feel . . . forgot all The surroundings, forgot gravity and physical incapability. This had To End Eventually but I realized Then and There That it never really needed To if both of us were willing enough . . . "_I'm gonna cum_", he spoke, Entirely breathless now. "Ok", I Breathed The most of a reply I could handle in This Moment.

. . .

I was laid out on Top of him. It felt like we had gone in a full, flawless circle now and I was even considering The reality of it all.

"You . . . are gonna get me in Trouble", he whispered by my ear. I rolled my eyes as I adjusted My head so my chin could rest on his chest. "I Think you can Take care of That all by yourself", I countered in response. He sat up and I wrapped my legs around his waist while he dug into The pocket of his jeans on The floor below us. He came back with one of The yellow bars, Tossing it back into his mouth . . . "Can I Try one?" I asked and in The same he reclined back against The pillows. "Hell no", he replied. "Oh my God, I can handle It", I began To assure. "It's not about That", he explained. "So Then . . ." I challenged, ready for a good Debate. He hiked me up and I laid my head in The crook of his neck . . .

"Your mind", he spoke The words in a soft Murmur. "The way you are, The way you Think. It's what I can Tell I'll always love most about you", I could feel his lips as They pressed Into my hair . . . "Bars and all That shit are known To create holes in The brain. Parts of you would change . . . But I love you for you. I don't want anything To damage That." Any debate I attempted after That would have been a sick joke. If you Extracted all of The portions That were just pure mush, Then you were still left with Concrete scientific facts. _2+2 =4. _This, I could understand for a change.

"_Wow_. You're such a parent", I mocked. He playfully slapped one of my Thighs. In The same he sighed . . . "I Think Mia's got a Little crush", he Commented at random shortly afterwards. I muffled a giggle. "On That Pretty boy, really?" "Yeah", he responded and The discontent in his response could never have gone unnoticed . . . "So . . . I mean, what's The problem?" He gave an irritable huff. "So he's not one of us – I can feel It but he's already all in Dom's heavenly grace." He moved me carefully off of him on To my side so we were beside each other, eye To eye, and I accommodated my head against his good shoulder. "It could be one Too many problems", he continued after a Momentary pause. "He just can't stay", he finished The last words in a worn mellow Tone.

. . .

"_You're not one of Them Juno. You're just like me - just like all of us." This had To be a dream. Otherwise There'd be no way we could ever be having This conversation._

My father had always been a very crafty kind of creature. So it didn't surprise me That he had managed To find me here in The one place I Thought had freed me of Them all permanently; of all of Them and all of Their burdens_ . . . _We were standing off To a corner in The room, only lit now by The glitter of The onyx eyes That remained, captivated by me. Vince was sound asleep in The bed aside from us but I fretted not_; he would never wake. _Not while Eleazar was in control.

He began To make his way around The bed. His movements, as always, similar To a flawlessly choreographed dance. Weary of his attentions, I began To follow precariously after him until he came To a stop just above him – above my precious savior. He was watching Too now; _analyzing him_. And as soon as The onyx pupils began To look Too placid In a single shift I was hovering alongside him . . . "You never did Take To This life", he spoke against my ear and I could feel The warmth of his breath at The nape of my neck – could smell The fragrance That gave off of him; _The sweetest poison_.

"It Truly is a shame . . .you were set To have it all and instead you chose To run away with That old bitter hag who dared To call herself your grandmother . . . who dared To Think she could carry The same blood we do." His Tone was The calm, cool growl now . . . "_Shut up_", I snapped in a whisper and in The same I Turned To face him directly, shielding The savior behind me . . . "I never wanted To be like This. I never wanted To be like you." He only smiled keenly. His confidence even after death had not simmered in any way . . . "My dear naive Little angel . . . I need Not say another word. After all I've seen It is clear That my services will not be required in This round."

At The finish of his words, There came The swish of air as he Struck himself against me before I was able To react. He held me Trapped in The hold, using a free hand To force my face To meet his, and Then he leaned just close enough . . . "You should know Better", he whispered in a cold menace.

. . .

I awoke shaken – _cold_. Judging by The Streaks of sunlight That showed Through The slim openings in The blinds I knew I was out of Touch again. Such warmth would never be able To suppress The solid chill That had possessed me. It is safe To assume That This is also The reason why It had Taken so long for The shrill protests To come into hearing.

"_Vince Stop It!_" I could hear Mia – panicked – and when I glanced over, accompanying me was only The empty space. And so I rose, creeping quietly until I found myself at The foot of The stairs one hand already resting on The railing . . . "I'm Telling you – _he's a rat_", My savior snapped back. The conviction in The statement could not ever be misinterpreted . . . "You know They say eavesdropping is The prime cause of Instant assumption", The familiar voice came from behind and in The same I Turned Robotically To find myself face To face with The invader.

"_No he is Not!_" Mia's defensive outburst came echoing up To where The Two of us remained frozen in place . . . "I could argue That one", I Retorted in my faintest Tone, afraid any one of The others would hear and decide To drag The spectacle of a scene upstairs. . . He extended a hand. "I'm Brian." _And Tada folks_; The intruding Lamb now had a name To go with him. After shoving The first of The contradicting Thoughts aside I gave in, accepting The awaiting gesture . . . "Juno", was all The response I was willing To give for The moment. "Nice To meet you", he commented after The brief shake of hands . . . "Wish I could say The same For others", he added wincing as his attention strayed for an instant To The flight of stairs, "That's definitely The stairway To nowhere."

Despite The voice That scolded me from The inside, in This moment I found no way To discourage The amused, half human smile That betrayed me in This instant. "Maybe Not", I falsely consoled now, "Every animal just has Their day . . . _at least I Think it works That way_." He heaved a sigh before his focus wandered back To me and he arched an eyebrow. "Juno. _Is That like The city in Alaska?_" I forced a humorless chuck Then, "_I can only wonder with you_." He gave a single nod, his hands sliding casually into his jean pockets . . . "Your boyfriend's not gonna Let me slide by any Time soon, huh?" I raised one of my brows, only pretending To chew over The idea before raising a brow. "Yeah . . . _maybe in your next lifetime_." He nodded, bringing a hand up and running it Through The wavy crop of gold . . . "Guess I'll be seeing you." Another sheepish grin fought its way out of me. "_Where's That?_" He sighed at The question That clearly mocked before seeming To have To work himself over some in order To Take The first step forward.

And – as I watched The Lamb - _Brain_- sluggishly move down The Taunting flight – I made my own move for The shower. _Rule Number Five_: if a war is in store, you should first always enter appropriately dressed, refreshed, _and with a cool head crammed with a sufficient string of never ending counteractions_.

. . .

**Ok so here we are, New year, new chapter. I can only hope That everyone enjoyed Their holidays over The last couple of weeks, I definitely had my Thrills -_- So – once again – review, review, review please ^_^ . . . Hope I am able To prove The wait worthy -_***


	7. WARFARE

**WARFARE**

Modern warfare in The end solely runs off of impulse decisions and The human mind's more primitive side. So if you're leaning Towards logics, in all honesty, you're pretty much screwed . . .

The suitcase laid out at The foot of The bed somehow did not Take me by surprise. I let The Towel concealing The Top half of my body fall away as I let The door shut behind me. The sound of my animal shifting and shoving was no longer as unsettling as I made my way over To The closet's entrance . . . "So I Take it we're moving?" How I managed To suppress The laughter following The inquiry was beyond me. Perhaps a certain fear had played a part in my resistance. The fear of him opting To go on his own and leave me - The walking, Talking burden behind with The rest of This psycho fuck family.

He looked over one of The Two half cleared racks before retrieving an arm full of jeans and moving in The same directly past me . . . "I'm not staying here as long as That nobody rat fuck is", he replied after fixing The jeans on Top of The rest of The heap That appeared Too much To fit into Too little a space in The crammed hunk of a suitcase. I rolled my eyes before proceeding forward again . . . "Can you put something on please", he added now, reminding me of The fact That I was only half clothed myself in a pair of skin Tight jeans and my favorite rainbow bra ideally enough.

"I would if I could find _something_", I retorted. In The same he Tossed me one of my white V-necks never sparing me so much as a sideways glance. I allowed a few seconds To skip over in an effort To contain my own kind of animal That was now slowly waking from within before fitting The shirt over my head . . . "Don't you Think you should at least give him a chance first. I mean – sure he's new but . . . I was new once and you . . ." Listening To myself The question finally popped and in The same Their came The instantaneous realization: This conversation was not headed anywhere any Time soon, _except maybe out The door_, but This was only in The literal sense.

He huffed before jamming The suitcase shut and Turning To face me . . . "You is you, him is him . . . _You Coming or Not?_"

. . .

I hadn't noticed The sudden silence That had Taken over The house until we were making our way Through The suddenly empty household. It was only when I was watching over Vince at The driveway as he chucked both of The suitcases, one after the other, into The back seat of The Maxima, That The old Monster came strutting down The pave. . .

Dom appeared well equipped for This war himself as he stopped just shy of The Maxima's front end. "Where you going now Vince?" In The same The back door slammed beside me and my animal was at my side . . . "As long as he's here There's no way I'm sticking around This shit hole", he crudely responded in a low menace That was new To me. The calm expression Dom wore at The finish of my animal's words was unsettling. It was almost as if The forces of Nature had joined Together To procreate This one awful moment That was destined To slug Through and end gruesomely . . . "Yeah well, you can do whatever you want, but I got news for you", Dom started in his own sterner, colder, much dryer menace, "she stays here with us until you've cooled down and cleared Things Through in That Thick skull of yours."

My heart should have skipped a beat. I should have been shocked – instantly livid – defiant and ready To Take on The beast known as Dominic Toretto. But instead I found myself for The first Time entirely detached. Vince moved To stand in front of me in The same . . . "She is coming with me", he only all The more coolly replied. It was hard To feel any one emotion in particular here – hard To comprehend even The Teeniest, most irrelevant detail of This more Than relevant scene.

Dom sighed . . . "You know how This ends, so let's just agree To disagree here Brother. . . Go Take a breather for a couple of days . . . It's not like she's going anywhere. You know it's still not safe To be dragging her out and about all around Town." It was Then That The first human reaction came. "_Ok - don't I have a say in This?_" I forced The words To piece Themselves Together. "No", it was my animal That answered in return. In The same he Turned. "Dom is right J . . . you need To stay here for your own good . . . I'll be back I just . . . need some Time."

And it was in This instant That I felt The earth itself as it Turned on me – _as it Turned on us and our world _. . . "I can make my own decisions Vince", I countered in what was The echo of me. He shook his head. "No you can't baby. Not now." His brows furrowed Together and his entire expression seemed To alter before he finally moved around me. I stared blankly as he pulled The back door of The Maxima open, retrieving The smaller suitcase and handing it off To Dom who was suddenly between us. Time was moving inconsistently again, in slow, uneasy flashes. "I'll be back soon", my savior was suddenly whispering in his slowest sooth against my ear. "Listen To Dom." The next few instances were beyond my feeble mind's comprehension. Every muscle in my body had remained involuntarily locked in place until The Maxima was out of sight and I felt a hand Take my own before I snapped.

It started with a single fist That pounded out of pure natural instinct against Dom's chest. And Then it went again . . . and again . . . _and again_, until he finally restrained me pulling me against him. "Stop it", he cautioned in an unconvincing stern. "_You asshole!_" I shouted back in muffled words against his chest. He held both of my arms confined around his waist. "I know", he responded, his own words distant all on Their own.

. . .

"He'll be back soon enough . . . you'll see", Dom assured as he gently laid me down in The bed. It was strange The way The Two of us had gotten back up here. No scene, no fighting, and - in my case- no memory whatsoever.

He seated himself at my side and in The same I looked away from him letting my half focus wander To The open, empty closet. It was only Then That The realization came To inflict The worst of itself upon me . . . _ This was no longer our room_ . . . no longer my room. It was only The vastest empty space now, cold and unwelcoming . . . In The next moment I found myself straining against Dom as he held me down in place. "Don't do That sweetheart", he spoke in a low serene. "Let me go", The broken words came in response and I could feel The first of The Tears as They Trickled down The side of my cheek, but despite my struggle he refused, very carefully maneuvering me onto his lap and Trapping me in his cradle as he leaned back against The headboard.

Who would've guessed it; _Juno Melee in The end was The one who was ill equipped for This battle? Well That's just Ludacris_! But it wasn't. And as Dom distributed his words of comfort, with his lips gently pressed into The mess of my jet black crop, after an uncertain period I was numb again. Limp in his arms . . . just listening . . .

"I couldn't let him Take you sweetheart, but he won't last without you." At last The words were comprehendible again and I was suddenly determined To hold on To every single one of Them. This is The key necessity of _Rule Number Six_: Stay on The ground. This is just as basic as it sounds. You have To remain grounded and in order To do so you must first find your safe place. A safe place is easily obtainable Through a variety of prefixed outlets. You need your safe place in order To maintain a certain logical perspective; in other words – _certain mental stability_. In combat natural instinct and mechanical impulse can only get you so far. And This is why we must remain with our feet planted at all Times and our boggled minds, at The bare minimum, able To perform The basic required functionalities.

I couldn't recall ever wrenching my fingers so inhumanely Tight around The fabric of his Tank Top until his own hand pulled mine loose of its vice grip . . . "It's okay", he whispered as he moved my hand up To his shoulder . . . "You can Trust me . . . even when There's nothing else." I'd hidden my face away in The crook of his neck as soon as he'd attempted To face me . . . "I have To go get Letty. I left her a while back at The shop . . . you gonna be alright until I get back?"

_Of course I wasn't going To be alright_. But since That wasn't set To change anytime within The span of The Twenty minutes or so he might be away, I forced a feeble nod in response. In The same he sighed giving me a light pat on my right Thigh. It Took every ounce of That good old, deluded logic To pull away from The sanctity of The beast but in Time I managed The rigorous action and he adjusted me in his arms before ever so delicately planting me on The bedside, leaving me To fill The warm place he left behind . . . And I had never noticed his focus, _so intently fixed on me_, until I'd managed To look up at him for The first Time.

The silence in The moment only made me feel like more of a science project, but I couldn't blame him. He was only human and I was . . . _This_. . . It happened in what must have been half The Time it Took me To process The movement itself. He was kneeled directly in front of me so his dark, demanding gaze could hold my own and – in The same he brought a hand up To caress my right cheek before leaning slightly closer, just near enough for me To Take in The scent of him. . . "I better not come back To any messes, you understand me", The words came in a cool, faultless sync.

I forced another, much weaker nod in return, and at The confirmation he rose To his feet . . . "I'll be back as soon as I can." "Don't" I managed as I sucked in a breath That pained my insides. "Don't Take long . . . _please_." Some seconds Trailed before his hand finally fell from my face . . . "I won't."

. . .

The Thing is Dom could have been gone five minutes and it mine as well have been five hours, five days, weeks, months. The absence of him was everywhere I looked – haunting me.

At one point I Thought To search The newly broken home for Mia before I realized I hadn't seen her Today at all, and consequently in The same, I was reminded of The piercing shrieks. The ones That had circulated all The way up To me as I had been playing introductions with The Lamb. _The intruder_; The reason my savior had abandoned me – had abandoned us. The reason why I had been forced To endure This nameless anguish, whereas The intruder went about his day careless as ever, I mine as well be burning alive . . . And so There went That. No matter The angle or The case, somehow it would always all end with him.

Every beat of my pulsing heart was an erratic protest That send shivers Throughout my entire body. The light of day was a disturbance here and now, only causing me To feel fainter and fainter with every excruciating second That Ticked idly by. Sick – I was so sick. Nauseous enough it seemed To spew up my insides, and I never doubted even for a single moment That This was a very likely possibility. How would I eat? How would I drink?_ How could my mind, as it paced back and forth between racing Thoughts, ever bring itself To fall into any form of sleep?_

I'd never moved so much as an inch . . . never caught wind of anyone coming or going . . . Never heard a Thing, never saw a Thing until Dom was suddenly kneeled before me again, This Time with Letty just aside from him, and I never did so much as flinch until she pressed a hand To my forehead. In The same I'd jerked away nearly leaping across The bed and in The next instant I found Dom was hindering The path again; we were just beside The front door. Letty held one of my hands in hers, holding me back. "J . . . J it's okay", her words came in a distorted kind of echo from behind us, and in The next instant Dom was Towing me backwards up The steps.

I wanted To react – I needed To. But any form of an action would have been Too much of an effort for absolutely no resolution . . .

"Well . . . she needs something", Letty's words brought me back To The unlikely present. I vaguely recalled The flash of Time when both her and Dom had left me lying in between The rustled mess of sheets . . . "I'm gonna stay with her until she's down", Dom came in The faintest echo. And – for a split moment – I wondered just how real This all was. _Was it possible That I had faded out some long Time ago past my fogged recollection? _One Thing was for sure; here – in This place – all The facts were irrelevant and in my wildest nightmare, I could have never dreamed up This horror fiction . . .

It was The slump of The mattress from behind me That brought on The first human reaction. I'd Turned on To my side To face The beast who had accommodated himself aside from me, propped up, visibly Tense, on one elbow. But even as I my gaze remained fixed on his, it was difficult To distinguish The image of him. And, I'd flinched when The back of his hand had first made contact with The side of my face . . . "Shh", he hushed. "It's okay sweetheart . . . we're just gonna get a little rest." But even The concept of rest was flat out inconceivable . . . I could never sleep. Not until he came or . . . whatever The outcome, here and now, it just wasn't an option.

And it seemed, This factor alone, was The exact one my incompetent mind had been waiting on; The one certainty amidst all The rest of uncertainties. I'd shoved his hand away and nearly leaped out of The bed and in The next There was The fog again, blinding, The way it always was . . . "_J DON'T!_" I'd caught wind of The protest just in Time To catch my own fall. And even as The bits of shattered glass fell from all around I'd never even paused. Not when I'd felt The impact of The ground as my feet had planted and The mind numbing ache had shot up both of my legs . . . not when I'd heard The roar of an engine as it cranked To life from a distance . . . And I would never. Not once This run had started.

I'd ducked down the first right corner at The block's end, before jetting over and under countless heaps of lime shrubs, and what must have been at least Three wooden fences That went high enough To belong outside of county rather Than The neighbors backyards. . . By The Time I'd been forced into a breathless Trot, The Thoughts were racing in Their maddest craze. It was Then That The familiar rust like scent hit my nostrils; blood. I knew This all Too well by now. I brought a hand up To feel The warm Thick fluid just at my hairline and in The same action I noticed The knuckles of my right hand coated by The ruby read.

This was just great. No – really it was. The way I had it figured, if I didn't have a damn clue where I was Then There was no way Toretto's pack did. This gave me The Time I needed To find him. But first, I needed a serious clean up.

"_May_ . . . _May let me in_!" I called from The front screened doorway. And at my words There came The last of my bloodline, hobbling down The dimmed hallway. She unlocked The screen with a single click and in The same I pulled it open, holding my hand up for display. The wrinkles showed Through her Timid expression Then . . . "_Oh my Juno_. What on earth have you gotten yourself into This Time?"

It had been an extended story To say The least. By The end of it May could barely keep her focus on The last of The stitches. I winced away as she dabbed another alcohol patch over my now sealed hair line. The initial injury had been minor, enough To avoid The stitches That my mutilated knuckles had been forced To endure for a second Time . . . "You don't have To go back There", May attempted again To persuade me. "You can stay in The spare room. Since Eleazar passed its just been sitting . . . I Try To avoid it", she added in a much more delicate mumble. I huffed shaking my head in The same as she finally wheeled herself backwards in The aged, battered away office chair.

"No", I returned, Trying my best To hide The initial stress That lurked within The word. "I have To get To him May. I know", I had To pause just To manage a swallow . . . "I know it's hard To understand This coming from me but . . . _he's really important_. . . _I need him_." She smiled, That age old careful smile That always caused her bottom lip To quiver. But This was a Trait only one of us would have noticed . . . "I suppose It'd be a waste of breath To Try and argue with you." I smiled, my own broken smile, back at her . . . "You always did know me better Than The rest."

As I got To my feet so did she. "It was my job after all", she spoke The words Too cautiously, and as my gaze met hers it was hard not To remember . . . hard not To feel it again . . . She reached behind her head undoing The pearly white bun That still seemed To shine even under The minimal lighting. I gave a weak chuck, nodding in approval . . . "I Thought The elderly were supposed To age at some point." She beamed at The remark and I could make out her caramel pupils as They altered. "Not This one hag", she playfully countered, a brief giggle slipping along with her words, before she sighed . . . "_Not even for The night?_"

I looked away from her before leaning in and bringing her into my gentlest hug. After The minute or so That must have stroked idly by, I forced myself To pull away. She brought a hand up To caress The nape of my neck and as The pleas within her amber gaze worsened I ducked my head slightly To spare us This one more unnecessary instant . . . "They're not like you dear . . . you have To be careful." . . . After what was The stillest moment of The night, I nodded, bringing my hand up To Take hers and nudging it easily away . . . "You say it like I wouldn't know any better by now", I challenged in my mellowest façade. In The same she Turned away To sift Through a drawer of The miniature coffee Table just aside from The faded navy sofa, returning with The plastic gold card I knew she would eventually Try To push on me. She glanced up at me just as she placed The card in The pocket of my jeans but her cautioning expression never left mine . . . "_Or like I just know you better Than you'll ever know yourself_", she finally returned. I could only cock my head at first . . . "Guess This is where I'd be wasting my breath."

. . .

I'd made sure To make a clean cut exit. Too short, Too simple – _just what was right for her_. My great grandmother had been Trying To keep up with The life of our kind for far Too long. She deserved The piece of mind – The easy way out . . . That would never happen so long as I was still left, popping in and out.

The yellow cab I'd called for met me just as I hit The first corner and despite The selfish Thing inside That pulled in defiance against me, I'd managed To slide myself in a slow slump into The backseat. "Where To?" The driver had inquired as soon as The cabby had shifted back into motion. And just like That There I was – stumped again . . . I let my head fall back before flashing him The glittery gold savings card . . . "LAX."

LAX glows in The night like it's Los Angeles's own localized paradise.

Airports in general are mesmerizing when you really Think about it. All sorts of strangers commute from one destination To another on a daily basis, and There is only one Trait These strangers all hold in common. _Nobody cares_. Nobody will Take a moment To stop and stare at Their surroundings or To wonder Who exactly is occupying The arm rests in between. _Who's lucked out with your window seat? Are They coming or going?_ And This, hands down, is mankind's finest flaw. You see, In a world where everyday is The mirror of yesterday, it's difficult To distinguish The common differences. So I find myself stranded on This island of seclusion. But it is not often That I long To rejoin The rest of Them. Because They will never know . . . because we were never meant To co-exist . . .

There is one decent skill I managed To maintain over The Time. Blending in is key To This unspoken alliance. May had instilled in me The basic habits and self resolutions needed To fit The persona we had established Together. This was exactly how I had resorted To a crash landing at LAX. Here I'd be The last one anyone would notice; especially while Tucked away in The Family size stall within The women's restroom I had come across shortly after skipping past The first of a handful of miniature cafeterias.

Here I am again. Eleazar had been right about a few, not so fun facts; we _could never coexist_. The path I had chosen To go was entirely unnatural and in certain senses, an unholy sort of union in our book . . . And That left me with The forever unavoidable ultimatum. To stay here now, find my love again and hold on To The life for all it was worth. Or To leave from This place – This instant – before it was Too late, not just for me, but for Them Too. But even after The earth had become a mute all on its own, it wasn't exactly one of Those 1, 2, 3 decisions.

The card in my back pocket was The heaviest burden To drag along ironically enough. Food might have been a good idea but There was no way I would be able To stomach The Task – _Literally_. So instead I found myself sitting inside of The Burger King, located somewhere around Terminal 3. I'd stuck myself away in The deepest, dankest corner watching all of The other humans go about There business, never stopping, and Though I was sure a few had been Tempted To stare, not one ever did. I had been shuffling a coffee from one hand idly To The other when The screech of a chair as it slid Triggered me To glance over at what should have been a casual disturbance. But oh how wrong I was . . . but This was just The usual.

My first instinct was To run again . . . run as fast as was humanely possible from The intruder while The chance was still likely enough an option . . . But This of course was before I remembered The fact That no matter what we were within The guarded, very public walls of The _Los Angeles International Airport_, where all could be seen and any scene would definitely be heard. I wedged my chair back until I felt The bump from The wall behind us, and he leaned in folding his arms in front of him and using The squared Tight Table for support . . .

"_Brian_ . . . _What do you want?_" I'd finally forced The question disrupting our own personal moment of silence. He sighed, leaning back in his chair after exhaling The shortest breath . . . "You're really good at running . . . but I'm better", he countered at The end, but every one of his words still sounded bored To a stiff . . . "Juno Melee, originally from Tacoma, Washington", he went on and it was a wonder I kept my composure. "Daughter of Eleazar Manning, The friendly neighborhood slaughterer . . . left under The custody of Anna May Melee, your supposed grandmother who supposedly committed suicide Three months ago . . . _but we both know That's not True_", he finished. And as we Took another moment, for obviously separate reasons, my mind, within The short gap of Time, reverted back To The Damage control That was needed in This moment with a vengeful urgency.

But judging by The confident expression he wore There after, I knew it, and I knew it well; There was no more Time left for indecision. _It was Time To go_. "_Don't_", he suddenly spoke, a crooked smile betraying him after The word, as if he was somehow monitoring my every Thought in This unreal moment. "Don't run from me Juno", he continued, The words still bored and still no less discouraged. It certainly wasn't in response To his request, but something was fueling me now. It was almost like The Pull was at work again somehow, but I knew different. Regardless, _This something_, was not only holding me in place, it was oddly enough calming.

I Took in a short, hard breath, shaking my head in The same, as I brought my cold gaze To Take in The sight of him. He was dressed very casual in a grey T-shirt and hooded sweater, with some faded black denims I was only able To distinguish from a side angle. He was well equipped for an evening stroll, not a chase . . . "You . . . don't know anything", I managed The words Through gritted Teeth. "You just Think you do", I looked away from him To The store's crystal clear inviting window . . . "They all do."

He nodded leaning back in his seat, and it was only Then That I realized I still held The coffee Jammed in my Tightening grip. "I don't doubt you. But right here . . . _right now_", he seemed To stress The last words, "I know enough. And That's what matters in The end . . . _am I right?_" . . . "So", I skipped over his smug question That was clearly rhetorical To begin with . . . "You must have come a long way . . . _DEA, FBI_ . . . _Homeland?_" I challenged now in Return. But he never even flinched as he buried his hands in The front pocket of his sweater . . . "Federal agent Brian O' Connor. But There's no need for you To get all hyped up", he assured, half joking. The casual manner in which he had just basically fucked himself peaked my interest.

"You see I've sort of gone Rogue . . . kind of . . . _I Think_", he explained, sounding as Though he was in The same process questioning himself . . . "So Technically I'm no longer considered an employee of The Federal Burea just . . . more of a fugitive." I was Trying now – desperately – To decipher This moment – This meeting all Together now. Brian O'Conner; _The intruder_, _The Lamb_, and, now apparently, _The Ex- federal agent_ . . . "Wait Then – _why did you even follow me_ . . . _how did you follow me?_" The question finally came, uncoordinated, in an aimless Trail of words.

A low chuckle came from him Then, and The sound of it alone made me feel like I should have already known The answer To my own inquiry. "You have Vince's cell phone on you. I used The GPS and a Little Toy of mine To Track what was supposed To be Vince but halfway into it I spotted you and I figured what The hell. I knew you must have run off and Dom would be heated out of reason." At first I was stuck in The confusing Twist of a story before I caught on . . . "Yeah, so you're bullshitting", I confirmed out loud, "I don't have Vince's cell phone on me." He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Just check your pockets." For a moment I hesitated, Too sure of myself, before complying. And bulking against The right back pocket of my jeans, To my complete disbelief, There was The great big bulk of a Nextel.

I never allowed myself To acknowledge The smug look on his face. Instead I'd planted The Nextel on The Table sliding it carelessly his way. "You can Take That back To Dom", I only answered in return. But in response There was only a heavy sigh That seemed able To weigh him down in The instant. "What'd you say you give it back To Vince yourself?" I could only hope he had never noticed me wince at the mention of _his_ name. Regardless, the pressure had already begun to build inside of me and it was only a matter of time now . . . "That's tempting", I managed, "_but thanks to you that's not exactly an option anymore_." "He'll come back soon enough", he subsequently countered. In The same I got To my feet, unnecessarily crossing Through The Table beside our own so as To avoid any further contact. And I'd made it all The way out of any red eye wash up's fast food haven before I could feel him again, Too close and Too sure, Trailing close behind me.

"So This is it huh? You're just gonna hop on The first flight To nowhere and act like it all never happened?" I'd promised myself There'd be no more words but as I forced one foot in front of The other, my ego came To protest, and I had To remind myself To breathe. "You're The one with The files officer, you Tell me", I jabbed back. "I'll help you find him", The words came in response, almost motivated To knock all of The wind out, and I found myself involuntarily halted . . . And from one instant To another There we were, Toe To Toe . . . "I have The resources Juno. I can help you find him – I want To", he assured now and in This moment it was as Though I could see straight into him . . . "You just have To keep my secret . . . and I promise I'll keep yours."

I could feel The fatigue again, slowly creeping, Threatening To knock me off my feet Then and There . . . "I wouldn't snitch on you if you walked away right now you know." He shrugged . . . "I know." And in The next he was offering up The Nextel.

Brian O'Connor is another project from some other unearthly place . . . I could never argue otherwise because The Thing in me would simply never stand for it. But mainly because it was The one similarity – The one and only piece in This puzzle That held us Together and kept me seated in place alongside him in This faded yellow cab.

"So are we running on The old don't ask, don't Tell here or what?" he'd cut easily Through The silence. I shrugged . . . "That depends, if we didn't would it go both ways?" He laughed lowly Then. "One and one Then", he confirmed. This moment is The exact one I've been working so incredibly hard To avoid. Eleazar had Taught me Too well; _You never let Them in_. And once you have, well Then it's a step Too far for yourself and for Them. But on This night, however unplanned – however undetermined – There weren't many secrets left To keep between The Two of us . . . "You first", I spoke under an uneasy breath.

"Ok", he began, "We'll keep it simple . . . You could've ran from Toretto and his pack a long Time ago . . . _why didn't you?_" A humorless laugh unexpectedly emitted from me, and I knew if I dint keep my nerves in check This conversation was sure To be The first and The last . . . "Vince of course", I finally brought myself To answer, nearly gagging at The pronunciation of his name. "I . . . couldn't leave him. I Thought I could at first . . ." I'd let my own words Trail away as The sickness came over me again. But almost in The same I forced myself To remain - here and now. There was no way I would be passing up my Turn . . . "_What about Dom, do you Think he played a part in you staying?_" I let my focus revert To him again, flashing a glare. "One and one remember?" He nodded. "So shoot", he Too willingly encouraged, letting his head fall back. His lack of concern could set me off at any given second but I would never show him This. So I sat, and I stared, and I Thought . . . "_It wasn't an accident That night was it?_"

He brought his head back up and his weary stare came To meet my own before he suddenly smirked, rolling his eyes . . . "It was an accident Juno", he sighed . . . "It would have been very difficult To make sure I didn't snap my neck or launch myself head first into a light post, all while conveniently setting myself up for a perfect entrance into The world of Dominic Toretto and his impenetrable Team." "I don't need your attitude", I snapped back coldly. In The same There came a vibrating at my hip and my heart skipped a faltering beat as I brought The Nextel up in my hand.

"It's Dom", I announced, more so unconsciously. A snigger came after my words and when I looked up at Brian he was all but The image of serenity. "Aren't you gonna answer it?" he asked, and it was hard To figure whether or not he was genuinely curious or just fueling The fire. In The next instant I Tossed The Nextel his way. "_You promised_", I reminded him sourly. He raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I did promise To help you find Vince but clean up your messes, I'm not so sure here." "Why are you such a dick?" I snapped irritably. He sighed. "Why are you such a child?" he challenged in between another hearty chuckle before he flipped The Nextel open. "Hey Dom", he answered with The most casual greeting. But in The next his eyebrows were furrowed Together and barely noticeable creases were visible across his forehead.

"_Ok – Whoa - Jeez Dom Take a breather she's right here with me_", he started again with his reassurances . . . "It's a really long story but I found her and she's fine . . . I mean Its up To her", he went on before pausing To wink at me. And in The next he was holding The phone up To my ear and Though I was reluctant, "Here she is", he announced after some seconds of struggle and in The same I snatched The phone into one hand, silently cursing him . . . "Yeah", I spoke against The phone, with certain unintended pun.

"I swear when I get my hands on you", The beast began in his finest menace. "_You won't_", I immediately retorted. "Oh sweetheart you have no idea" - "_Yes I do_", I corrected him once again and There came a brief silence . . . "Brian is bringing you home whether he wants To or not and if you give him any kind of fight I swear To you Juno" - "YOU SWEAR NOTHING!", The fire had consumed me so unexpectedly, for The briefest lapse of Time I had forgotten we were in a moving vehicle. . . "It's my way now Dom." . . . Before The conversation could progress any further past all The profanities Brian had Taken The phone back . . . "Yeah . . . I Think maybe you Two should have This one face To face . . . I'll see you in a few Dom."

"You promised!" I started again as soon as he had flicked The phone shut. He ran a hand Through his head of hair. "I promised I'd help you find Vince and I'm going To Juno . . . but in The meantime you need To just stay put and behave." At The finish of his words I slumped against my seat looking away from him . . . "Promise me", he came again . . . "Promise me Juno." I swallowed, doing my best To keep a clear view . . . "I fucking promise", I grumbled under a breath, with The false hope That The words in fact didn't sound as broken as I Thought They did. And in The next I felt a hand plant on my shoulder . . . "Don't worry, I'll keep Dom in check." I could only huff in response To suppress The laughter.

The house appeared To calm when we first pulled up. It was almost like nothing had ever happened – like I had never busted, fists first, Through The second story window of any room. And as I watched Brian pay off The driver my insides seemed To Tremble . . . "Come on", he spoke in a somber Tone against my ear at first, nudging me forward out of The safe, secure, _moving_ Taxi cab.

The garage door was open and awaiting. I'd noticed This change off The bat from way down on The curbside. Brian was at my side after some Time . . . "It shouldn't Take me long you know. Just a few phone calls . . . it's my word." But This sickness had Taken over by This point and all I had To work with was The Thing in me. The Thing That was livid and ready inside of me, just as it always was . . . "Five days Brian . . . five days and I'm gone for good This Time." It was only Then That his attention left The ample front yard, falling directly on me . . . "You promised me remember . . . _we had a deal?_" It was Then That The brute figure appeared finally and my insides Trembled in response.

"Dom", Brian was the first To come forward, and I knew Then if ever for certain; This guy had To have a death wish. There just was no other explanation for it . . . "Do me a favor Brian", were The first words That came, Too calm. "What's That?" Brian had with no hesitation retorted. And in The same Dom's hardened gaze was on me . . . "Stay out of my way if you know what's good for you." A sigh came. "Dom just listen To me" – "Brian just go", I'd cut him off staring into The eyes of The beast with all The defiance That still lurked within me. . . "It's not like anything's new here." And it only Took a moment's hesitation before he'd Turned To leave, exiting The scene almost Too quickly . . . "Let's get upstairs", Dom's subtle command came into a Tune That was Too far away.

. . .

We'd ended up in his room. His room with no windows or any other kind of emergency exits . . . or at least none I was able To notice from The foot of his bed where he'd had me sit. He'd remained just aside from The shut doorway, his pose Too rigid against The wall; _he knew To wait now Too _. . .

"What'd you want from me kid?" The question came so unexpectedly, I'd never even had The Time To shudder at his words. Instead I'd looked away from him, focusing on The floor for a while until The room had become an indistinguishable blur . . . "I don't want anything", I'd barely managed The useless reply. "Doesn't seem like it", he returned, never wavering. "Seems like you're always looking for The back of my hand or The end of my foot." It was Then That I did feel The chills again, shooting one after another mercilessly Through me.

"You went Through a window . . . like it was nothing", he continued, but his last words had sounded unlike I'd ever heard The beast before. They were Too disturbed – _all Together forced_ . . . "How'd you do That?" he asked now, and Though I Think we both knew he would never know how To handle The answer, for a moment I'd caught myself contemplating The idea. Contemplating violating what was essentially The cardinal rule . . . "I don't know", I'd forced after an empty while. . . "I didn't Think about it . . . it just happened." But I don't Think I ever even believed myself in That moment, so I was sure he didn't.

In The next he was coming forward and I'd only had The chance To blink away The Tears before he was kneeled at my side. He'd brought a hand up, Tracing his Thumb along and around The stitched up wound at my hairline . . . "Brian fixed you up . . . How'd you Two link up?" And My heart gave an uneasy pound against my chest just before The hammering began. I only shook my head wincing away from his Touch. There were no real answers here – no room for Them . . . So The rest would have To be left for The lamb. Only he was human enough for This one.

When There was nothing left but The air around us, he straightened back up . . . "I'm headed out . . . _you run off again don't come back_." The words stung Then. They almost burned like a kind of acid even. And it was only when his Torso had angled slightly To Turn That I'd reacted, clinging To The hem of his shirt. He'd looked down at me in The same. "_What?_" I hesitated all The way up until it felt like The words would choke me To my very death. . . "Dom don't – I don't want you To leave."

But he had remained unmoved. In The next he was prying my fingers from The soft cotton of his shirt. "It's not a choice Juno . . . I'll see you later . . . or maybe not." Time was moving at an inhumane pace again and as I forced myself To suck in The first breath That came I was able To push myself up onto my feet. "_Dom I want you_", The words came in a blurt before I ever had The chance To catch myself . . . He had stopped in The same moment That They came To shatter all we knew but it had Taken some Time before he'd actually Turned To face me . . . "Now why would you ever want me?"

I swallowed – blinking – shutting my eyes Tight enough for an instant To see The flash of fogged red . . . "Because", I'd managed, barely able To find my own voice in This moment . . . "I need you", I had To pause just To breathe. "I'm sorry I ran away – I won't do it again . . . _just stay with me_ . . . _please_." It had Taken only seconds – I was sure- but everyone had dragged Too slowly before he was finally close enough . . . His hands had extended at some point, and wandered To my waste line; a clear effort To detain me incase of any casualties . . . "You went straight Through a window for him – _you could have died Today_", he stressed . . . "But you need me", he finished The words That were never in question but never conformed. Instead They seemed To be searching . . . waiting . . . wandering away into nothing – _To nowhere_.

It hurt – was physically straining – To look up into his dark gaze That was ready and willing To convict me without so much as The Thought of a second Thought . . . "I would've done The same for you", I forced in The whisper That was all I could bare. In The same he shook his head . . . "You don't know The half of me kid." I Took in a short breath . . . "And you don't know The half of me." I'd almost fallen against hi, before letting myself sit back onto The bed again. This place - in This moment - could drain you dry of everything . . .

The next I knew he was close against my side. He curled an arm around my waste using it To pull us close Together . . . "You know Letty's off To Mexico for The month . . . she was afraid for you . . . Thought we wouldn't see you anymore", he spoke in The low rasp That seemed masked somehow now. I let my head rest against his shoulder . . . "You hear from Vince?" "No", he responded instantaneously . . . "He'll come around", he added in a much more confident sooth. I exhaled a breath against his chest . . . "So I hear."

**Well . . . so sorry for The delay of Chapter Seven but I've been going Through allot of Motions in my life. I do hope you guys are able To enjoy This one Though. This Chapter changes allot so just give it Time and it will all explain itself -_-** **Allot of emotions were involved with This one so I am definitely looking forward To some feed back *_- . . . I'm going To go ahead and be honest . . . While Chapter 8 is currently in The works, at This Time I am also beginning To work on my First Actual Novel That I do intend To publish and is a story all of my own, so I am juggling To projects at once. I can only hope you all will support me on This journey That will likely be a very long Twisted one -_- . . . Once again, I hope you guys Love it, love it, love it *_* and if you don't I would love To hear back all The same. And for Those of you who may be concerned about The Future of "What It Takes", no worries, you can bank on Chapter 8, and on and on and on! ***_*** **


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